When Griffin Bouchard was ten years old, he under went foot surgery at Boston Children’s Hospital, keeping him from playing the sport that he loves above all others, hockey. Now a 13-year-old 8th grader at the Miles River Middle School in Hamilton, Bouchard has decided to dedicate himself to giving back to Boston Children’s in the best way he knows how to—through hockey.
“When I started middle school, as part of my Life Skills class, I had to perform a service learning project. I knew that I wanted to give back to the sport that I love and to Children’s Hospital,” Bouchard wrote in an email.
With this in mind, Griffin hosted a Holiday Skate at the Pingree rink first in 2014 and then again last fall. Last years event featured former Boston Bruins team captain Rick Middleton and raised $1,700.00. Bouchard was honored by the Children’s Hospital as well as written up in USA Hockey Magazine and recognized at the NHL Alumni Corey C. Griffin Foundation annual draft for this event.
Bouchard joined forces with the Corey C. Griffin Foundation and the North Shore Blades hockey team, the team he so passionately skates for, to create a fundraising page. Between this page and the Holiday Skate event, Griffin was able to donate almost $6,000.00 to Boston Children’s, money that will be allow their doctors, nurses and researchers to continue the work that earned them the title of #1 destination for children’s care in the nation.
The money will also be crucial in helping conduct research into childhood head injuries, like concussions, that often occur when playing sports like hockey and football. This research is vital in the fight to keep kids safer while they play. Donations raised through Bouchard’s events help fund some of the clinical trials the Children’s Hospital runs each year, trials that glean crucial information on prevention and treatment of concussions in kids.
This years Holiday Skate will again be attended by Rick Middleton and will take place at the Pingree rink from 6pm-7:30pm on December 21st. There will be a raffle with the chance to win a signed hockey stick from the Boston Bruins or signed jersey from Tukka Raska. Bouchard is hoping to raise $10,000.00 over the course of the next year to donate to head injury research at Boston Children’s Hospital.
Pingree Rink, 537 Highland St., South Hamilton.