It’s not easy to get an auditorium of elementary schoolers to sit still for an hour, but New England Patriots head coach Mike Vrabel and running backs coach Tony Dews managed to do just that in Providence on Monday.
Celebrating Read Across America Week, the two took turns reading to second and third graders at Lillian Feinstein Elementary School, who listened intently and waited patiently to ask their own questions.
“It’s probably easier,” Vrabel joked when asked about how it compared to addressing a team of football players.
“This was a great representation of this school and the job that the teachers do that they were able to get these kids in there to sit down and pay attention and ask questions.”
It was fitting for the Tackle Reading event to be one of Vrabel’s first Patriots Foundation events since his playing days, because the team’s charity was not only partnering with Dr. Seuss Enterprises & Creative Minds Publications, but also Vrabel’s own 2nd & 7 Foundation.
Shortly after his college career at Ohio State University, Vrabel and his Buckeyes teammates Ryan Miller and Luke Fickell founded the nonprofit to promote literacy and provide positive role models for underserved children.
Their work continues today, as Vrabel brings the 2nd & 7 Foundation along on his new chapter in New England.
“I love that Mike was one of the co-founders of 2nd and 7, and the kids seeing this important man who is expressing his love for reading so much he started a foundation that brings books to kids who may not necessarily have them at home,” said principal Maria Petrosinelli.
“Any event like this where we can bring guests in to motivate the students is special to all of us because, coming from a city school where a lot of the kids live in poverty, they don’t get to have some of the same experiences as other kids who come from more affluent areas. Bringing in the head football coach from the Patriots is so exciting for…
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