NEWARK, NJ – The following news release comes courtesy of a Patch community member. Learn more about posting announcements or events to your local Patch site here.
What started with the consumption of one of the most unusual drinks in the penalty box on the ice is now the catalyst for Newark’s youth as New Jersey Devils forward Blake Coleman has announced the launch of his new community initiative Pickles Pals, which will benefit the Salvation Army Boys and Girls Club of Newark Ironbound (BGCN).
The pickle connoisseur made headlines during last year’s season opener in the penalty box while downing his game day drink of choice – pickle juice. Coleman’s love for the dish dates back to his college hockey days playing for the Miami (OH) RedHawks.
Coleman has since embraced his affection for pickles through the product launch of P20 and he revealed that he will come out with special line of pickle juice this season. And it didn’t stop there.
Over the summer, Coleman and his sister developed an idea in the summer to engage fans on social media through enchanting pickle characters. The response was overwhelming as the campaign continued to build momentum. He then harnessed those positive vibes to give back to the Newark community through the announcement of Pickles Pals, a program created to inspire young people to read and embrace education while providing a fun learning environment.
“I was fortunate to have a good upbringing and a lot of people don’t have that,” explained Coleman, who sought to make a difference in the community in which he represents. “I thought the education side would be a good area to focus on.”
Pickles Pals seeks to give back to the community by developing academic programs and securing necessary supplies with the purpose of providing kids of BGCN with resources needed to achieve their academic goals through Coleman’s Corner.
In addition to the commitment to improvements at the BGCN, the children will receive tickets to six Devils home games and have the opportunity to meet Coleman.
“I’m hoping that they’ll enjoy the experience and are excited to be a part of the Devils family,” he said with a proud smile on his face. “The Devils have been extremely supportive of this initiative and have helped me get this off the ground.”
Meanwhile, the third-year forward has great ambitions for the team this year after enjoying a breakout campaign in his first full season as an NHL player last year as he scored 13 goals and 12 assists. Coleman finished the 2017-18 season strong as he proved to be one of the team’s most valuable players on both sides of the ice in the postseason.
Through eight games this year, the Texas native has picked up where he left off. Coleman has netted three goals and is one of the defensive stalwarts on a penalty kill that ranks fourth-best (87.9%) in the league.
“We’re excited about where things are going here,” Coleman said. “We’ve made some strides already, but it’s on us to continue improving. We set the bar high and everyone in this locker room has high hopes for the team this season.”
The Devils are seeking to make a return to the playoffs and appear to be primed to do that with their performance in the early stages of the season.
* Note: The photo used in lead of the story was via Blake Coleman's Instagram account @bcoles25 and given permission to use by the New Jersey Devils.
Send local news tips and correction requests to eric.kiefer@patch.com
Sign up for free local newsletters and alerts for the
Newark, NJ Patch
Patch.com is the nationwide leader in hyperlocal news.
Visit Patch.com to find your town today.