Mass. Hospital School receives boost through road race, documentary film

One year ago, Massachusetts Hospital School Chief Executive Director Brian Devin had a tough call to make. The school had been planning to send students to an athletic event, but with only three days to go, there were not enough funds to cover the cost, and Devin was ready to cancel the trip. The solution arrived in a check from Karen and Dave Foley, owners of Foley’s Backstreet Grille in Stoughton.

Karen and Dave Foley with Mass. Hospital School staff and students

The Foleys held the first annual Foley’s Backstreet Grille 5k Road Race last April to benefit MHS and are holding the second annual race on Sunday, May 4, at 12 noon at the MHS Recreation Complex with a party immediately afterwards.

“That will pay to send our swim team and the track and field kids to the New York state games,” Devin said. “We’re the only non-New York state school invited.”

Twenty MHS students will take buses to New London, Connecticut, then change to the ferry to Manhattan. Once there, they will take another bus ride to the Nassau County Coliseum. The swimmers will compete in individual freestyle, backstroke and breaststroke events. Track and field athletes are scheduled to participate in manual wheelchair, motorized wheelchair, power soccer, shot put, javelin, and discus competitions. The games are taking place May 29 to June 1.

Devin said that MHS is planning to expand its outdoor athletic program to include crew, which will allow students to increase their upper body strength. Any additional monies from the race will be used to purchase an adaptive boat. “A little more expensive, but well worth it,” he said.

The Foleys choose to make MHS one of the schools they support through their restaurant because the late Matt Christian was a close friend of their youngest son, Kevin. Christian, who was a world class disabled swimmer, attended the Canton Public Schools but did athletic training at MHS.

“It’s amazing that someone that doesn’t have a total actual connection to us is doing this,” Devin said. “It’s more than writing a check. They organize meetings. They shut down their restaurant on a Sunday. They bring refreshments and their staff as volunteers. They’re tremendous human beings.”

The Foleys also have other fundraisers planned, including the third annual Backstreet Open Golf Tournament — which also benefits MHS — scheduled for June 2 at the Easton Country Club, as well as another race to be held in the fall.

In an email, Dave Foley wrote of the strong friendship his son Kevin had with Matty Christian and how Matty was an inspiration to everyone who met him.

“When Karen and I opened the restaurant, we knew we would create our own charitable events to give back to the community, and since MHS is such a worthy cause, we decided to make it the sole beneficiary of our Backstreet 5k Road Race and Backstreet Open Golf Tournament,” Foley wrote. “In 2013, we raised over $13,000 through these events. The golf tournament championship trophy is named the Matty Christian Memorial Cup, and each year’s winners’ names are engraved on the cup, which will be on display at Foley’s Backstreet Grille year-round. We have decided to continue to honor Matty’s memory through these two fundraisers.”

A second gift that MHS has received is a film that was made about the school. Entitled Experience the Massachusetts Hospital School, the film was conceived by longtime supporter and Emmy award winner Graham Chedd.

James Cardinal (center) with recreation therapists Ryan Keeley and Brie Cobb at the MHS Oscar night (Jack Foley Photography)

Filming began in the winter of 2012 and ended in August 2013. The film shows what life is like for students at MHS: heading off to class, having lunch with others, attending physical therapy sessions, swimming, riding horses, windsurfing in the summer day program, going to their prom, and making plans for their future.

“It highlights the things we do here and showcases our incredibly talented staff,” Devin said. “It shows these remarkable kids. Their inner beauty comes through.”

Actor Alan Alda, longtime star of the TV series M*A*S*H, narrates the film. He has visited the MHS campus and was moved by what he saw.

MHS staff members have a tag at the end of their emails allowing recipients to watch the video and send the link to others. Devin has had feedback from local residents and from people as far away as Japan and Singapore. “Chedd said, ‘It’s my gift to you,’” Devin said.

The world premiere of the film was held on the school campus.

Male students wore tuxedo t-shirts and female students donned t-shirts with the Hollywood sign on them in glitter. The evening began with a dinner held under hanging stars and enlarged photos of students. Then they moved on to the auditorium, which had a red carpet and inflatable Oscars at the entrance. Staff members posing as reporters from entertainment shows interviewed them. Then the lights dimmed and the show began.

The Mass. Hospital School provides nursing care, therapeutic services, on-site special education, and other services for students ages 8-22 who have a wide variety of disabilities. To register for the May 4 road race, go to www.backstreetgrille.com. To view the MHS documentary, go to vimeo.com/86314877.

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Posted by Mary Ann Price on Apr 24 2014. Filed under Features. Both comments and pings are currently closed.