Staple of Baltimore Named 2022 Willie O'Ree Community Hero Award Finalist

This article is part three of a five-part series highlighting the inaugural Capital Impact Fund beneficiaries. The organizations were selected by the Capitals based on their missions and impact toward diversity in hockey, as well as on their plans to use the funding to further advance diversity, equity and inclusion in the sport. If you know of or are affiliated with an organization that you think would be a good fit for a Capital Impact Fund Grant, read more and apply at www.WashCaps.com/CIF-grant.

Noel Acton has never been much of a hockey player. Over the years, he tried on several occasions to learn how to skate, but it never took.
Skating abilities aside, "Mr. Noel" Acton has remained a staple of the hockey community in Baltimore for more than two decades. During that time, Acton has used the sport of hockey as a tool to impact the lives of more than 500 boys and girls in East Baltimore.
Acton founded The TenderBridge (TTB) in 2003 and has since dedicated his life to helping at-risk kids get involved in sports and avoid the dangers that exist in their community. TTB's mission is to guide East Baltimore youth on the path to become productive citizens. Acton believes that by participating in sports and mentoring programs, children are able to dramatically improve their life outcomes and enjoy a successful adulthood.
"He sees the problems in his city, and he sees what these kids go through, and he just wants to help," Banners team parent Antoine Green said.
Acton's involvement with the children of East Baltimore began purely by happenstance. Years before TTB became a formal organization, Noel was at a fundraiser in Baltimore when he ran into an old friend and his two young kids. While catching up, Acton's friend mentioned that he was hosting a party the following evening at a local bowling alley and asked for his help. Acton agreed and helped chaperon the party. The next day he was introduced to a troop of kids, many of whom lived on the 600 Block of Glover Street in East Baltimore, one of the city's most dangerous areas.
At the party, the kids learned that four of their friends played ice hockey at the Mimi Di Pietro Skating Center in Patterson Park, just down the road from their neighborhood. Immediately, the kids began pleading with Mr. Noel, asking if they could go the next day to watch their friends play. Acton obliged, and the following morning he picked the group up from their homes on Glover Street for the very first time.
For many of the young children, this was the first time they had seen or experienced the sport of hockey being played - and they were hooked. Much like the previous day, the kids once again badgered Acton to sign them up to play the thrilling new sport they had just learned about. That same day, Acton enrolled eight kids in hockey; the first of a group that has grown to more than 500 over the past 20 years.
Having grown up on Glover Street, the children were not typically in a rush to return home after practice. Recognizing this, Acton would take drives around the city with the kids - to Fort McHenry or the Inner Harbor - each week. Along with their drives, the group would also stop by McDonald's or the local pizza shop for lunch. These weekly trips became a tradition for the group, something the kids looked forward to each Sunday.
When that first hockey season came to a close, Acton had a realization; he needed to find a way to keep the kids from Glover Street involved and off the corner. With this in mind, he went to work signing up each child for additional activities during the summer and fall. Ultimately, he enrolled the kids in baseball and football programs, creating a cycle where they could remain involved in sports year-round.
"They're just kids that have grown up in a very difficult situation," Acton said. "Those are exactly the kids that we need to spend more time with."
For the next several years, Acton continued to chauffeur the children to and from practice by himself. Fortunately, as more kids flocked to the ice rink, so did volunteers eager to help. Today, TTB and the Banners have more than 35 coaches and mentors that teach the sport, drive kids to practice and provide much-needed emotional support to young athletes.

To Acton, the most important thing that the organization does is provide a family atmosphere for the kids, something that is missing for many of them. Acton points out that many of the players on the Banners have exceedingly dysfunctional home lives and are oftentimes forced to raise themselves. For that reason, the coaches and mentors serve as family for the players.
Without love, support and guidance, Acton contends the future for many of the kids can be treacherous. The challenges that exist in the community where most of the children grow up are well known; during his time volunteering, Acton has known 47 kids who have been killed in East Baltimore. That is exactly why offering a safe and supportive environment is paramount.
"I've lost a lot of friends," said Banners defenseman Daryl Fletcher. "Without having anybody to take care of me or take me in, I would have probably been out on the streets."
Understanding the environment that the kids grow up in has been the catalyst for Acton's fierce dedication to the Banners program and The TenderBridge organization as a whole.
In his eyes, he has a responsibility to help young people navigate the many obstacles they encounter on a daily basis.
"Serving as a mentor means the world to me. I enjoy it so much," said Acton. "When you realize that you can help change a kid's future - so the child can end up living a productive life - it's very inspirational."
Driving the kids to and from practice has been a key to developing strong, lasting relationships with the players. By spending time with each child, the mentors are able to get to know each of them on an individual basis and better understand the difficulties they are experiencing. According to Acton, fostering connections with the kids and their families has been an integral part of the program.
"Hockey is the hook that keeps the kids involved and coming back," Acton asserts. "What has really made a difference for the kids is creating an emotional relationship with their teammates, coaches and mentors. That is where you really start to see progress being made."
The coaches, mentors and supporters of the Banners take great pride in the accomplishments of their players. Ian Thomas, a Banner alum who played with the team during his youth, went on to become a standout tight end at Indiana University and is set to begin his fifth season in the National Football League this fall.
Of all the successes of Banners alumni, Acton says that one story stands above the rest. RaeRae - who also played with the Banners as a child - has faced seemingly insurmountable adversity throughout his life. Afflicted by lead poisoning since his childhood, RaeRae always struggled with school and had difficulty holding a job. Despite these challenges, he made the decision to return to school as an adult and ultimately received his high school diploma.
Today, RaeRae is a high school graduate, has two children and a steady job. Mr. Noel was there every step of the way, and even drove RaeRae to school the day he received his degree.
"He showed such resilience and fortitude," Acton proudly said. "He is constantly persevering, and he is an amazing father. To me, that is a success story."
For his more than 20 years of service to the East Baltimore community, Acton has been
named as a finalist for the 2022 Willie O'Ree Community Service Award
. Each year, the award is given to an individual who - through the sport of hockey - has positively impacted his or her community, culture or society.
The nomination, which was announced by the National Hockey League on April 4, came as a complete surprise to Acton.
"I was totally shocked," said Acton. "All the kids knew about it but kept it a secret."
The team surprised Mr. Noel on the ice following practice with a video message from O'Ree himself, commending Acton for his dedication and service.
Acton was elated by the news and said that he was grateful to be recognized for his efforts.
More importantly, however, he believes that the national attention will be enormously helpful in fulfilling his goal of duplicating the Banners program in other inner-city communities that experience the same issues as East Baltimore.

Due to the financial commitment required and lack of accessibility to the sport, hockey has remained largely unpopular in many inner-city communities, and Baltimore is no exception. However, Acton maintains that hockey is a sport that anyone can excel in and learn a great deal from, if provided the opportunity.
In many cases, kids from across the community simply did not know what hockey was. For that reason, the Banners' street hockey program has played a vital role in encouraging young kids to get involved.
On the first day Acton hosted the program, just a small group of children showed up to play. Despite the low turnout the first week, Acton and his coaches continued to recruit kids from the neighborhood. In the weeks that followed turnout increased exponentially, with more than 60 kids showing up to the basketball court to play street hockey.
Acton hopes that the Banners grassroots efforts can serve as a blueprint for other nonprofit organizations hoping to make a difference in their community.
"Just in Baltimore, there must be over 100 basketball courts just sitting around," said Acton. "If you can inspire other organizations to get involved and utilize those resources, you can have a tremendous impact."
Although Acton may have been surprised to be recognized by the NHL, many across the community knew it was only a matter of time until he received the accolades he so rightly deserves.
"I am in awe every day when I look at that guy," coach Jack Burton said. "It's really hard to fathom doing this for 20 years. The impact that he's had across the whole neighborhood, that's generational."
With his nomination, Acton is now the fourth individual from the DMV area to be named a finalist for the O'Ree Award. He joins coach Neal Henderson (2018), Tammi Lynch (2019) and Alexandria Briggs-Blake (2020).
Tammi Lynch, the founder of Player Against Hate and a 2019 finalist for the O'Ree Award, has volunteered as a team parent with the Banners for a number of years and was thrilled to learn of Acton's nomination.
"Having worked with the Banners, seeing Noel named for this award is so fitting. He truly embodies the meaning of Community Hero," said Lynch. "Noel has been working tirelessly for 20 years to support children in East Baltimore, solely for the benefit of the kids. His mentoring and outreach has given children a home, a father figure, or even just an ear to listen. Regardless of if he wins or loses, he is an honest champion of children who are often unfairly overlooked by society as a whole. Being honored as a finalist is public confirmation of all of the good and much needed work he is doing."
With four nominees in just five years, the hockey world has been provided a glimpse into the extraordinary work being done across the DMV to build bridges, encourage diversity and enhance opportunity for young athletes of all backgrounds.
To Capitals director of youth hockey development Peter Robinson, the impact that these individuals have had on the hockey community in the Washington area is immeasurable.
"Our goal as an organization is to provide access to the sport of hockey to anyone and everyone, and partners like Noel, Neal, Tammi and Alex make that achievable," said Robinson. "We are proud to support local organizations working to grow the game and celebrate Noel Acton as he is recognized for his hard work and dedication to his community and the sport of hockey."
Robinson continued, "Celebrating community members like Noel is what the Willie O'Ree Award is all about. The Banners program is far more than a hockey team, it's a family."
For Acton, it also illustrates the supportive nature of what he refers to as the "southern hockey crew" in the greater Washington area, including the Tucker Road Ducks, Fort Dupont Cannons and Players Against Hate.
"That's the thing that has always struck me about the local hockey community," Acton said. "They all give back to one another. We are kind of outliers from the traditional field of hockey, so we make an effort to help each other."

Lynch agrees with Acton about the supportive nature of the DMV's hockey community.
"It is amazing that four different individuals in the DMV area have been nominated for this award," Lynch said. "Historically, I don't think that this area has not been thought of as a "hockey town," but seeing all of the positive things these visionaries have accomplished, it goes to show not only how much we value hockey, but also how much we value everyone, especially those who are underserved."
In addition to becoming a finalist for the O'Ree Award, Acton and The TenderBridge organization have been named as an inaugural beneficiary of the Washington Capitals Capital Impact Fund grant. Through the grant, TTB has received $10,000 that will be used by the organization to further advance diversity, equity and inclusion in the sport of hockey.
Like other local organizations growing the game in the DMV, the Capitals and Banners have partnered together for many years. Specifically, the Capitals donate equipment for the kids, assist with street hockey clinics and provide financial support for the organization.
For Acton, this support has been immensely important and provides a huge opportunity for the organization to grow. As a nonprofit, TTB and the Banners rely on others for support.
"Working with the Capitals has been so helpful for spreading our message," Acton said. "When people hear about the program, they want to help. It's incredible to have people understand what we are doing and appreciate our efforts."
Although ice time in Baltimore is one of their greatest expenses, the Banners spend a considerably larger amount of its annual budget feeding the kids. Unfortunately, many of the players do not enjoy consistent meals. In some cases, Banners players can go more than a week without a hot meal.
Given this reality, Acton and the volunteers at TTB provide the players with a snack before each practice and take the team out for lunch as a group after every session. Having weekly meals with the kids has been a central part of building the team's family environment and sense of togetherness.
Using a portion of the funding from the Capital Impact Fund grant, the Banners will be able to continue to supply the players with nutritional meals. Additionally, the grant will be used to offset the cost of gas for the mentors driving players to practice, support the Banners' street hockey programming and help fund trips for the team.
For more than 20 years, Noel Acton has dedicated himself to improving the lives of a generation of children who have grown up in incredibly difficult circumstances. For many, the program Acton founded has provided support, comfort and safety that they may have never otherwise had. He did this all as a volunteer, oftentimes without applause or recognition. But make no mistake: his impact on the children of East Baltimore and his legacy in the community cannot be overstated.
"Mr. Noel" maintains relationships with his very first group of players, who are now over 30 years old. As he tells his players, they don't "age-out" of the organization - they are Banners for life. Over the years, more than 500 kids have come through the organization and have joined the family that Acton and his colleagues have worked so hard to build.
As Banners player Daryl Fletcher recently noted, "I asked Mr. Noel at the beginning of the week, 'How many people do you think appreciate you?'"
When Acton told him he didn't know, Fletcher responded, "You'll realize it someday."
Voting for the 2022 Willie O'Ree Community Hero Award is open until Monday, April 17. To learn more about the award and to vote, please visit
nhl.com/O'ReeAward
.

Individuals interested in learning more about The TenderBridge and Baltimore Banners are encouraged to visit
www.TheTenderBridge.org
.
To learn more about the Washington Capitals Capital Impact Fund, please visit
www.WashCaps.com/CIF-Grant
.