Caps Care Year in Review: Community Programs and Initiatives

During the 2022-23 season, the Washington Capitals, its players, and Monumental Sports & Entertainment Foundation (MSE Foundation) continued to give back to the community and grow participation in hockey throughout the region. Through fundraising and programming efforts, the Capitals and MSE Foundation supported numerous organizations in an array of missions. The organization's efforts resulted in $1.6 million raised for charity.

"As a professional sports team we are in a unique position to make a difference and are proud of the work our players and the Capitals organization have done in the community this season," said Capitals president Dick Patrick. "We look forward to continuing to build on our efforts in the future to further support the many organizations who are having such a substantial impact on our region and to provide opportunities to participate in the game that we love."

Each week this May, WashCaps.com is taking a look back at highlights across the following categories:

This week, WashCaps.com recaps Caps Care community programs and initiatives:

CAPS CARE COMMUNITY PROGRAMS AND INITIATIVES:

Wish and Dream Experiences:The Capitals granted three wishes and one dream this season, including the wishes of Liam Reigel, Nate Wessel and Will Mumford through Make-A-Wish Mid-Atlantic and the dream of Madeleine Golden through Dream on 3.

Liam Reigel:12-year-old Reigel of Eldersburg, Md., had his wish granted by the Capitals and his favorite player, former Capitals player Lars Eller, in February. Reigel was diagnosed in December 2022 with an aggressive brain cancer. Prior to practice, Eller introduced Reigel to the team and informed him he would join the team on the bench for warmups ahead of the Capitals game against the Detroit Red Wings the next day. Reigel joined the team for practice and scored a goal against Capitals goaltender Darcy Kuemper. Prior to the Capitals game, Reigel read the starting lineup to the team in the locker room.

Nate Wessel: Capitals captain Alex Ovechkin and the Capitals granted the wish of 14-year-old Glenwood, Md., native Wessel in March. Wessel is a hockey player and Capitals fan who has a heart condition and has undergone three open heart surgeries. On March 8, Capitals assistant general manager Don Fishman "signed" Wessel to a contract, making him a member of the team for practice and the team's game vs. the New Jersey Devils on March 9. Wessel met Ovechkin and received a tour of the locker room prior to joining the team on the ice at the conclusion of practice. On March 9, Wessel was named as an honorary starting lineup member and stood with Ovechkin through the National Anthem.

Will Mumford: The Capitals and Make-A-Wish Mid-Atlantic granted the wish of 18-year-old Will Mumford by unveiling his custom Capitals Weagle art piece at MedStar Capitals Iceplex in December 2022. Will's piece is a large-scale, sparkling mosaic of the Capitals' Weagle logo in red, white, and blue. The art is composed of glass and plastic mosaic tiles that are glued to a template cut Weagle and framed using old hockey stick shafts. In collaboration with Hatch Exhibits, the mosaic was hung in the lobby of MedStar Capitals Iceplex. Capitals players Nicklas Backstrom and Tom Wilson attended the unveiling. Will was partnered with Backstrom at the team's November Hockey Fights Cancer skate and previously connected with Wilson on a Forty Three's Friends Zoom call in the spring of 2022, where he shared details about his wish.

Madeleine Golden: 15-year-old Madeline Golden of Fort Mill, S.C., had her wish granted by the Capitals in February 2023 through Dream on 3. Golden attended a Capitals practice and met several Capitals players post practice. The next day, Golden attended the Capitals game and received a behind-the-scenes tour of Capital One Arena.

Star-Spangled Baby Shower:In November 2022, the Capitals and Operation Homefront hosted a Star-Spangled Baby Shower presented by GovCIO for six expectant military moms. Operation Homefront's Star-Spangled Babies program provides baby showers to expectant moms in growing military families. Due to deployments and frequent relocation, military parents-to-be often live far from their extended families and support systems. On Nov. 8, six expectant moms were showered by the significant others of Capitals players. Each mom had a unique story of service; these included an active-duty service member pregnant with twins, a spouse whose wounded veteran husband is battling cancer, and several moms whose nearest family members were as far away as Texas. The Army, Navy and National Guard were represented across the group of individuals the shower was thrown for, and the expectant mothers were also hosted by the Capitals and GovCIO at the Capitals Veterans Day game on Nov. 11 vs. the Tampa Bay Lightning.

Hospital Visit: In December 2022, the entire 2022-23 Capitals roster visited children and their families at the Lombardi Pediatric Hematology/Oncology Clinic at MedStar Georgetown University Hospital. Players and children worked on holiday craft projects during the visit, prior to decorating a Christmas tree with their creations.

Adaptive Bike: 13-year-old Ilan Shterenberg, a youth goalie who is a local Henrik Lundqvist Foundation Young Ambassador, presented a Caps-themed adaptive bike to eight-year-old Lamar Collado of Waldorf, Md., and his family in February 2023 at MedStar Capitals Iceplex. Capitals player Tom Wilson participated in the presentation.

Shterenberg did a fundraiser project through the Henrik Lundqvist Foundation to be able to provide the adaptive bike to Collado, whose specialized hospital care team recommended he use one. However, the bike was not covered by insurance, which is where Shterenberg stepped in to fundraise for one. The bike is specially-designed to provide extra support and stability while cycling and will help Collado with exercise, mobility and his cognitive performance skills. The specialized bike is essential for Collado's daily activities, improving his quality of life, and enabling him to socialize with others.

Toy Drive: The Capitals hosted a Toy Drive on Nov. 9 to benefit The Salvation Army National Capital Area Command. Fans donated more than 400 toys.