FOXBOROUGH, Mass. – In a perfect world, the holiday season is a time of joy and celebration, togetherness and abundance. Homes are filled with wide smiles and good food as loved ones gather to relax at the end of a long year and look forward to what lies ahead.
Unfortunately, for far too many individuals and families, the holidays can be a time of stress, of worry, of struggling to make ends meet. In a perfect world, nobody should have to wonder about how they’ll make their holidays a happy time – and, as in years past, members of the Revolution organization are doing their part to make that perfect world that much more of a reality.
Following in the footsteps of former players Teal Bunbury and DeJuan Jones before him, New England Revolution assistant coach Pablo Moreira is spearheading the 2024 New England Turkey Club Fundraiser, in conjunction with Rhode Island’s Providence Rescue Mission. Speaking with revolutionsoccer.net, Moreira reflected on the importance of the work of serving others and the impact it has on him personally.
The coach said that he appreciated the work Bunbury and Jones had done in the past in this area, adding that his connection with the former Revs attacker went all the way back to their time together at the University of Akron. But when it came to pitching in for himself with the Turkey Club, Moreira said that the choice could not have been clearer.
“I don’t like to go into something without really knowing what it was,” he said. “I made arrangements to go down to the Providence Mission to go and help out, talk to the director, see what his views were. Once I did that, it was hard not to. Just volunteering there, helping them with their church service, and they also had meal time – what they do there is basically, if you attend church, mass, there at 5 o’clock, at 6 o'clock you get a free meal. They’re passing the Lord’s message along, and then after that, people who need food, who are hungry, you’re able to go there, help out. And when they’re done eating it actually turns into a shelter, for men and women.”
And that opportunity to serve others means a lot to Moreira, both in terms of how it helps him keep things in perspective as well as how it reminds him about his own humble roots.
“Listen, losses hurt for sure,” he started, “but I keep it pretty even. Wins are awesome for sure, but I keep it pretty even. This is something that allows me to put everything in perspective and keep it even, because this is the reality.”
He went on: “To be honest, growing up I didn’t come from much. My situation was like, my dad was this epic Uruguayan National Team soccer player, then we came here based on, he’s playing and a scout wanted him here. So, we came here on a whim, my parents didn’t know English, anything, and it was all rainbows and butterflies – but then the indoor league went bankrupt. So, I was in a situation where I grew up and my sisters and I shared a bedroom up until high school. We were on food stamps. I would play at Akron and then at nighttime I’m cleaning toilets, my parents owned a cleaning company, I’m cleaning toilets, I’m vacuuming floors, taking out garbage. That’s why I appreciate every layer of where you could be socially, I appreciate every sense. And I think you can only get an appreciation if you’re in there on the ground … So again, that’s why this means something to me, because I have been on the opposite side of needing, wanting.”
Ultimately, as much as the fundraiser is about helping families in need in the community, Moreira said that the opportunity to team up with Revolution players in this effort helped strengthen the bonds within the Foxborough family as well, away from training and gameday. Players involved this year include Brandon Bye, Jonathan Mensah, Peyton Miller, Ian Harkes, and Nick Lima, as well as Revolution II players JD Gunn, Colby Quiñones, and Giovanni Calderón.
“You get to see the other side of [the players], you get to see the personal side,” he said. “And essentially that’s what it’s all about. People can tongue-in-cheek say, ‘Oh, this club is a family,’ this and that, but that’s how you really show if you’re a family or not. At the end of the day, if we don’t do that kind of work, then this is just another job. What makes it a family is doing these types of things.”
In terms of collecting donations for the Turkey Club to be handed out to families in need, Moreira said that efforts were just getting underway and there was still plenty of work to be done. And despite his passion for the work on the ground, the coach conceded he wasn’t the most adept spokesman for the cause in today’s digital environment.
“I’m not a social media guy, [which is] a good thing, but in this regard it’s the worst thing – I’m like, ‘You probably chose the worst cat out here!’” he said with a laugh. “In terms of social media, I’m inept.”
Luckily, you, the supporters, can help spread the word, and even get involved directly. With one $40 donation, you can provide a Holiday food box to a family in need. Each box includes a 15-pound turkey and enough food to provide several days’ worth of meals for a family of five. Donations can be made directly through the Providence Rescue Mission website, and every contribution helps Moreira and the Turkey Club get closer to their goal of $25,000 raised and 6,000 families fed. Please consider donating today, and thank you in advance for your generosity.
More information on the New England Turkey Club can be found HERE.
