Greene Brothers Host Second Fundraiser to Benefit Capital Impact Fund

This 4th of July, the Greene family decided to make their annual gathering full of more than just friends and family. In partnership with the Capitals, the Greene brothers hosted a Family 5K Race on the Bay that included almost 100 racers to raise funds for the Washington Capitals' Capital Impact Fund.

The trio of Greene brothers, Zave (19), Jovi, (16), and Tyvan (11) conceptualized the fundraiser, proceeds for which will be used to contribute to the resurfacing of the outdoor street rink at Watkins Elementary School in Washington, D.C.

The Rush Rink received a new Capitals branded Sport Court flooring system, new nets, new benches and updated lights as part of the NHL Legacy Project for the 2015 Winter Classic. The rink is now in need of repair, and the Greene family's fundraiser proceeds will support the project.

"It feels great to know that our fundraiser will help more kids play hockey in our community, and we can't wait to play at the fixed-up rink," says Tyvan, who plays peewee travel hockey.

After a successful fundraising partnership with the Capital Impact Fund last summer, the boys knew they wanted to continue supporting the local hockey community this year.

"We came up with the idea to host a 4th of July 5K because we knew it would be a high-spirited event that would draw a crowd," said Zave, who will play ice hockey at Wesleyan University this fall. "We reached out to our colleagues at the Impact Fund and shared our vision. That's when we learned that the outdoor street rink at Watkins Elementary School needs repair, and our money could directly support fixing it. We got excited about reaching this goal!"

The brothers have raised more than $35,000 over the last few years to increase access to ice hockey equipment and programs in the DMV region. Previously, the first successful 5K fundraising race the Greene family organized was to help buy sports and hockey equipment for Twinbrook Elementary School in Rockville, Md. After a successful turnout, they decided to host a relay event to help raise money for the same elementary school's field trip fund.

In July 2022, the family hosted yet another fundraiser, in the style of "Rinko", where this time, they officially decided to use the Capital Impact Fund as the beneficiary. "Rinko" was a hockey-inspired Plinko game where friends and family were able to donate money for a chance to win signed memorabilia from Washington Capitals players.

"When we contacted the Capitals on the Capital Impact Fund, they were so supportive and enthusiastic and genuinely wanted to help us reach our goals," said Jovi, who plays midget travel hockey.

With the help of the Capitals, the second 5k race had more publicity and amplification from the general public, due to the prizes that they had in store for the age group winners. The Caps donated autographed memorabilia and helped the brothers come up with the idea of doing a live raffle, which increased their fundraising by over 30%.

With a strong start to their fundraiser, the brothers' dream of joining this community together and giving everyone access to play the game of hockey is officially becoming a reality. The family continued raising funds for the Capital Impact Fund through July.

"Leading this project with my younger brothers is beyond meaningful," said Zave. "Hockey is a huge part of our lives, and we love sharing this unique sense of community that hockey brings, which is uplifting and long-lasting. We send a huge thank you to everyone who participated in the 5K race and each of our donors. We encourage anyone reading this to please consider donating before our campaign closes on August 30."

Capitals fans can continue to support Greene brother's project by clicking here to make a donation directly to the Capital Impact Fund.

In 2020 the Capitals organization and Monumental Sports & Entertainment Foundation created the Capital Impact Fund to provide grants to organizations that can assist in eliminating cost barriers faced by individuals of color in the hockey community. The Washington Capitals and MSE Foundation Capital Impact Fund Grant will provide financial support to local nonprofit organizations dedicated to further advancing diversity, equity, and inclusion in hockey. The objective of the grant is to provide access to the sport in all forms and should concentrate on, but not be limited to: equipment, ice time, school programs, program fees and access to the game. The fund will help minority youth players reach their greatest potential and will help create more equal playing fields for all.

Previous beneficiaries include the Bowie Hockey Club, Fort Dupont Ice Hockey Program, Friends of Fort Dupont Ice Arena, George Mason University Ice Hockey Alumni Foundation, Navy Youth Hockey Association, Players Against Hate, Positive Coaching Alliance, The Tender Bridge - Baltimore Banners, Titans Youth Hockey and Tucker Road Parent Hockey Organization.