‘We really enjoy it as much as the kids, if not more’: Red Wings, Tigers and Meijer host youth from Detroit Police Athletic League for annual Hometown Holiday Assist 

DETROIT -- The Detroit Red Wings, Detroit Tigers and Meijer teamed up to spread a little yuletide joy on Monday evening, treating 35 kids from the Detroit Police Athletic League (PAL) to a special shopping spree at a Meijer store in northwest Detroit for the annual Hometown Holiday Assist.

In attendance at this year’s seasonal giveback event were Red Wings forwards Patrick Kane, Lucas Raymond, Marco Kasper, Nate Danielson, Emmitt Finnie, Mason Appleton and defensemen Axel Sandin-Pellikka and Jacob Bernard-Docker, as well as radio play-by-play announcer Ken Kal, the television announcing duo of Ken Daniels and Mickey Redmond, Tigers radio play-by-play announcer Dan Dickerson, Red Wings/Tigers television reporters Daniella Bruce and Logan Reever, and PAWS.

“It means a lot to do this,” Raymond said. “The support we get from Detroit as a city and fanbase is unbelievable, so to be part of an event like this around the holidays is amazing. We really enjoy it as much as the kids, if not more.”

A group of colleagues and volunteers from the Red Wings and Ilitch Sports + Entertainment also assisted the group of children at Meijer.

“It’s a great event,” Kane said. “My family, we did it last year and we really had a lot of fun helping the kids pick out toys and give back in that way. We wanted to do it again this year, so I brought them again and it was nice to give back a little bit.”

On Monday, which marked the 12th annual Hometown Holiday Assist, each child from Detroit PAL received $200 to spend at Meijer, a holiday-themed gift basket, $50 Meijer gift card and Little Caesars pizza party.

“It’s good to be able to give back,” Sandin-Pellikka said. “I’m sure the kids are really happy to be able to get a lot of the stuff they wanted for Christmas, so it’s awesome to see their faces and smiles.”

When it was time to check out, several Meijer shopping carts were filled to the brim with items ranging from stuffed animals to kick scooters to NERF blaster toys.

“It’s really cool to be able to do this,” Danielson said. “It’s cool to see how much the kids enjoy it. It takes you away from hockey, being able to help make these kids’ days.”

Detroit PAL is a non-profit organization whose mission is to help youth find their greatness through athletic, academic and leadership development programs.

“From a kid’s perspective, when they’re looking up and seeing the Red Wings, Tigers, personalities and police officers, it’s bigger than life for them,” said Detroit PAL CEO Fred Hunter. “And just to have dollars available for them to shop with their hearts, it’s special. For us, as a kids’ organization, we just want kids to have tremendous experiences.”

Giving back is a big part of the work the Red Wings do beyond the rink, and Appleton said spending his Monday evening making a positive impact in the Detroit community was truly meaningful.

“You’re fortunate when you can always celebrate Christmas with the family and have presents under the tree, and obviously, you want that for everyone,” Appleton said. “To take the time out tonight is nothing in comparison to how far something like this is going to go.”