MANSFIELD —Superintendent Teresa Murphy is pleased to announce that Mansfield High School will host a special Military Appreciation Event during the annual Thanksgiving Football Game.
The 2023 annual Thanksgiving Day Football Game will take place on Thursday, Nov. 23 at 10 a.m. at Mansfield High School, Alumni Field, 250 East St.
This year Mansfield High School has invited Foxborough High School players to join Mansfield athletes to honor military veterans who have died or been injured while serving in the line of duty. This event is sponsored by the Gridiron Club of Mansfield.
Local veterans are invited to each Thanksgiving Day game as complimentary guests of the Gridiron Club. Breakfast will be served in a tent in the endzone area, reserved for veterans and active service members.
During the event, both Mansfield football players and Foxborough football players will wear a jersey decorated with the name of a veteran who has served in the United States Military.
These include Gold Star recipients, who’s children died in service to their nation, Purple Heart recipients, who were injured in service, and veterans who were members of the Mansfield High School football program as high school students and later joined the armed forces.
Mansfield football players will wear a military-style green game shirt with a design that will celebrate the past uniforms of West Point Academy veterans. Foxborough football players will wear a white game jersey similar to the uniform styles of the US Naval Academy.
Following the game, these game jerseys will be donated to the veterans or the families of the veterans as a remembrance of their sacrifices.
The Mansfield High School Football Program and the Gridiron Club of Mansfield have a long-standing tradition of supporting military veterans as well as active service military personnel currently serving in the United States Military.
The Gridiron Club of Mansfield previously sponsored the addition of the POW/MIA chair in Mansfield’s home bleachers at Alumni Field and the construction of the one-of-a-kind Hero’s Corner at Alumni Field with the flags of all of the military branches displayed.
The Gridiron Club of Mansfield has also organized the Turkey Brigade to deliver turkeys to local veterans during the holiday season and continues to be a sponsor of Mansfield’s Field of Honor, which is celebrated annually every year for the Memorial Day Weekend.
“We appreciate the long-standing relationship and partnership with the Gridiron Club of Mansfield,” said Superintendent Teresa Murphy. “Events like these shed light on the heroic sacrifices of our injured and fallen military personnel. It is an honor to recognize these brave men and women during our Thanksgiving Day event.”
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