By: Kelsea Durham | Follow me on Twitter/X @kelseadurham
Boston Fleet captain Megan Keller and forward Jill Saulnier took the field Sunday night at the MayeDay Family Foundation Celebrity Softball Classic, joining athletes, celebrities, and community members for an evening centered on giving back. The event brought people from across New England together through softball while raising funds and awareness for the MayeDay Family Foundation’s mission of supporting families facing hardship.
The MayeDay Family Foundation is a charitable organization founded by New England Patriots quarterback Drake Maye and his wife, Ann Michael Maye. Established in March 2026, the foundation focuses on providing resources, funding, and support to children and families facing medical and financial hardships. Through community events, partnerships, and fundraising efforts, the organization aims to make a meaningful impact on families throughout New England and beyond.
Hosted at Polar Park in Worcester, Massachusetts, the event featured a packed lineup of current and former professional athletes. The atmosphere throughout the evening was energetic with thousands of fans filling the stands to support both the cause and their favorite athletes.
The Celebrity Softball Classic brought together many familiar faces from the New England Patriots organization, including Will Campbell, Christian Gonzalez, DeMario Douglas, Hunter Henry, Julian Edelman, and several others. Former Boston Bruins captain Zdeno Chara also participated, bringing another recognizable Boston sports figure to the event. Representing the Boston Fleet were Keller and Saulnier.
For Fleet fans, the event offered a unique opportunity to see Keller and Saulnier outside of the hockey rink while supporting a charitable cause. Both players spent time interacting with fans throughout the evening and joined fellow professional athletes in creating a memorable experience for them. Their participation highlighted the growing presence of women’s professional hockey in New England and showcased the Fleet’s commitment to community involvement.
Before the game began, Drake and Ann Michael Maye presented an $80,000 donation to Boston Children’s Hospital. The fundraising efforts continued throughout the night with several competitions built into the event. A home run derby and a golden arm contest opened opportunities to raise even more money for the cause. The Mayes pledged to donate $1,000 for every home run hit during the derby and $2,500 for every home run hit during the celebrity softball game itself. By the end of the event, those challenges generated an additional $94,000 in donations.
The event also drew an impressive crowd. More than 9,000 fans attended the game, making it one of the most heavily attended events at Polar Park in recent years. It was one of the ballpark’s largest crowds since former Boston Red Sox pitcher Chris Sale made a rehab appearance there in July 2022. The turnout demonstrated both the popularity of New England’s sports figures and the community’s willingness to support charitable initiatives.
Several memorable moments highlighted the evening. Patriots wide receiver DeMario Douglas won the Golden Arm contest, while San Jose Sharks forward Will Smith captured the home run derby title. The celebrity softball game itself provided plenty of entertainment, with Christian Gonzalez’s team defeating Drake Maye’s squad by a 17-16 score in seven innings.
For Keller and Saulnier, the evening represented another opportunity to engage with the New England community while supporting an important cause. For the thousands of fans in attendance, it was a chance to see some of the region’s biggest sports stars come together for something larger than the game itself. The Celebrity Softball Classic ultimately showcased the power of sports to unite communities and create meaningful change, making it a memorable night for everyone involved.
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