Caps Players, MSE Foundation Host Holiday Party for Local Families

ARLINGTON, Va. -Washington Capitals players Brett Connolly, Pheonix Copley, Nic Dowd and Chandler Stephenson and their better halves Katrina Connolly, Jess Tietz, Paige Dowd and Tasha Maltman hosted a holiday party on behalf of Monumental Sports & Entertainment Foundation for families adopted through the Foundation's Family-to-Family program on Dec. 12 at MedStar Capitals Iceplex.

This year more than 20 families were adopted through Family-to-Family, an initiative created by the Wizards 22 years ago that provides holiday cheer to underserved, deserving families in the Washington, D.C., metropolitan area.
Attendees were able to play street hockey and interact with Santa, Capitals mascot Slapshot and the Caps Spirit Squad. A DJ, face painters, caricature artists and balloon artist also provided entertainment. SuperFd donated hot chocolate for the guests. Presents for families to unwrap in celebration of holidays later this month also were distributed.
The gifts were purchased in November when Capitals and Wizards better halves and Mystics player Natasha Cloud partnered on a holiday shopping spree at Walmart to benefit more than 100 adults and children involved in this year's program.

The party marked the eighth year that MSE sports teams have collaborated on the Family-to-Family program, which allows them to "adopt" families in need who are nominated by local schools and nonprofit organizations.
Monumental Sports & Entertainment Foundation supports the charitable efforts of the professional teams under its umbrella: the Washington Capitals, Mystics, Valor and Wizards, Baltimore Brigade and Capital City Go-Go. MSE is committed to the Washington, D.C., metropolitan area and focuses on the following five pillars to maximize its impact and engagement with the community: youth basketball, football and hockey; education and scholarship; pediatric health and fitness; military and veterans' affairs; and hunger and homelessness.