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Rolling Meadows student donations net visit from Blackhawks

Posted March 07, 2017 12:00 am

Christopher Placek

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Chicago Blackhawks player Ryan Hartman signs the jersey of fan Paige Connor, 18, during his visit to Rolling Meadows High School on Tuesday. The school collected the most items for Goodwill's Fall Haul Donation Challenge. Mark Welsh/mwelsh@dailyherald.com

Chicago Blackhawks players Ryan Hartman and Nick Schmaltz signed hats, pucks, jerseys and hosted a Shoot the Puck contest Tuesday at Rolling Meadows High School, where students donated more than 114,500 items to Goodwill.

For the first-place finish in Goodwill's Fall Haul Donation Challenge last November, the school earned a visit from the two Blackhawks first-round draft picks. Hartman, who grew up in West Dundee, started playing for the Hawks in 2015, and Schmaltz made his debut this season.

Both players donned their hockey sweaters as they signed autographs during a VIP meet-and-greet with students, then moved to the gym for an all-school assembly, where they answered questions and oversaw the puck-shooting contest.

More than 260 high schools participated in the Goodwill donation challenge, collecting nearly 1.4 million items. Palatine High School finished in second place with 76,435 items, and St. Charles East High School came in third with 47,400. Those schools received $500 gift cards.

Last year, Rolling Meadows came up just short of first place.

Blackhawks player Ryan Hartman gets the Rolling Meadows students involved during a Shoot the Puck event in the school gym. The school earned a visit from two Blackhawks for winning Goodwill's Fall Haul Donation Challenge. Mark Welsh/mwelsh@dailyherald.com

Blackhawks player Nick Schmaltz hands out autographed hats to students at Rolling Meadows High School, who collected more than 114,500 items for Goodwill. Mark Welsh/mwelsh@dailyherald.com

Blackhawks players Nick Schmaltz, left, and Ryan Hartman watch as Rolling Meadows High School student Emma Luedloff hits a puck in the school gym packed with her fellow students. Mark Welsh/mwelsh@dailyherald.com

Blackhawks players Ryan Hartman, left, and Nick Schmaltz answer questions from students at Rolling Meadows High School. The two players visited the school after students collected the most items in Goodwill's Fall Haul Donation Challenge. Mark Welsh/mwelsh@dailyherald.com

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