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TE Rob Gronkowski makes an appearance in Boston for $1.2M charitable donation

Rob Gronkowski may no longer be a member of the New England Patriots, but he is still helping give back to the communities in the New England area. He presented a $1.2 million check to the Esplanade Association and Massachusetts Department of Conservation on Friday.

The check, coming via his foundation, will help with a full renovation of the Charlesbank Playground.

In addition to what he did on the field with the Patriots, the tight end was also a big part of the community off the field. In talking on Friday, he indicated that the Patriots organization made giving back important, and a priority off the field, via Patriots.com.

“The Patriots taught me the importance of giving back from the very first day I stepped in that organization,” Gronkowski said. “A huge shout out to Mr. Kraft and the Patriots for instilling that into me and showing me the importance of what it’s like to give back.”

The location of the playground is all too familiar to Gronkowski, whose donation includes 10 years of maintenance on the playground. Legislation to name it Gronk Playground is already in the works.

“It’s a perfect location because it’s where the duck boats come in and out of the Charles River…you know I love duck boats!” he said, in typical ‘Gronk’ fashion.

Even with Gronkowski living in a new different state and playing on a new team, he is remaining loyal to where his career started.

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