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NFL player returns to East Meadow to help hometown families

New England Patriots' Rich Ohrnberger donate check to Kiwanis for Holiday Food Basket Program

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Two days after his team, the New England Patriots, clinched a spot in the NFL playoffs with a dominating road victory over the Chicago Bears on Dec. 12, Rich Ohrnberger took a ride home on his off day to give back to the community where is life and football career began. 

Ohrnberger, 24, returned to East Meadow High School on Dec. 14 to present a donation of $5,000 to benefit the East Meadow Kiwanis Holiday Food Basket Program. 

“It’s greatly appreciated, especially during these times,” said Harry Demiris, president of East Meadow Kiwanis. “Although Rich is a Patriot, his heart still belongs to East Meadow.”

With the help of generous supporters and volunteers, the project provides components of a complete meal to people in the East Meadow community who would otherwise not enjoy a holiday meal because of financial difficulties. Food baskets are provided for Thanksgiving, Christmas/Hanukkah and Easter/Passover. 

For Ohrnberger, supporting families from his hometown was a no brainer. “With Kiwanis benefiting the community, it was a nice way to keep it local in East Meadow,” Ohrnberger said. 

Ohrnberger’s donation to Kiwanis is not his first. Last year, he donated to Island Harvest, which helps feed the hungry across Long Island. This year, he spoke with EMHS principal Rich Howard about doing something more close to home. 

“He wanted to make sure these families benefit from his success,” Howard said. “It was very important to him that it strictly goes to East Meadow families. So he hooked up with Kiwanis and it was a perfect match.”

For East Meadow, Ohrnberger won the prestigious Thorpe Award, for most outstanding player in Nassau, and the Martone Award for the most outstanding lineman in the county. He was a first-team All-Big Ten lineman during as a senior at Penn State in 2008, which made the Rose Bowl that year. The Patriots drafted him in the fourth round of the 2009 NFL Draft. 

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