Upcoming events
Richmond Elementary School Playground Project (ONGOING EVENT)
TO DONATE OR TO GET MORE INFO GO TO THIS LINK: https://www.gofundme.com/f/the-maddie-potts-foundation-playground-project-for-res
MOST RECENT UPDATE:
On April 11, 2025, Maddie would have been 25 years old. That is also when the Maddie Potts Foundation heard about the RES playground being removed. Maddie attended RES and Chariho Middle and High School. She loved her community and always looked for ways to give back. In memory of her, that is what her foundation strives to do.
The initial estimate for the new playground is $200,000. In honor of Maddie’s 25th birthday, the foundation started a GoFundMe to raise money for a new play structure at RES. At RES right now, there are 380 students. In addition to those students, the school is getting an additional 100 students in the Fall of 2025 because of a school in the district closing, Hope Valley Elementary School.
The foundation’s goal is $111,000 because 11 was always Maddie’s number, but whatever funds are raised, we will be proud and very grateful for.
April 11, 2025-Update#1:
We are a nonprofit organization based in Richmond, RI. The Maddie Potts Foundation was founded in November of 2017 by Stephanie, Daniel, and Julia Potts, just two months after their daughter and sister Maddie Potts passed away unexpectedly of an asymptomatic brain aneurysm. She was playing soccer at Chariho High School on the night that she passed away.
Maddie attended RES and then Chariho Middle and High School. She truly loved her school and her community. She always thought of others before herself and constantly looked for ways to give back. The Maddie Potts Foundation Strives to give back to the community in “all ways Maddie.”
Just this week, the playground at RES was condemned and removed due to safety. The initial estimate for the new playground structure is approximately $200,000. We are currently researching multiple options for funding.
In honor of Maddie’s 25th birthday today, April 11th, the Maddie Potts Foundation is starting a GoFundMe to raise funds for a new playground. In addition to the children already at RES, approximately 100 more children will be attending RES in September of 2025 due to the closure of another district elementary school, Hope Valley Elementary.
We can not think of a better way to honor Maddie’s birthday and the amazing community she loved. Please join in supporting the Chariho community. Thank you for always supporting!
May 19, 2025-Update #2:
Thank you for all of your support! Our fundraiser is now over $15K, which is beyond amazing! We are still working on fundraising via the Go Fund Me so please continue to share. The Chariho School Committee waived the Chariho fundraising policy at the last meeting so the RES PTO and staff can now actively fundraise as well! Mrs. Martin, the RES Principal, applied to several grants while continuing to work with district staff and administrators to find more funding options.
We are open to thoughts and ideas so please let us know!
On Saturday, May 24th, from 10:00AM-2:00PM, the Maddie Potts Foundation Car Show will be happening at Chariho Regional High School. Some Chariho students will be there selling baked goods to raise funds for the playground.
Thank you again for your continued support. We truly appreciate it!
April 16, 2025-Update #3:
Thank you for all of your support! This community is truly amazing. I was at the school today dropping off some toys for the playground area. The Maddie Potts Foundation donated $1,000 and purchased jump ropes, hula hoops, chalk, spike ball, corn hole, balls, and other outdoor recess items. The foundation was also going to buy more sand for the area, but Richmond Sand and Stone donated the sand to RES! They will also be spreading it evenly over the play area. This community is coming together, and we are truly grateful.
April 13, 2025-Update #4:
Thank you so much! We are so appreciative of the love and generosity honoring Maddie and supporting our RES students! Let’s keep this going. Sending our love and gratitude to each and every one of you that is making this happen.
5th Annual Hallie Linacre Celebration of Life
The 5th Annual Hallie Linacre Celebration of Life will include live music from Those Guys, basket raffles, and more!! Come join us at Rathskeller Down Back to honor the life of Hallie Linacre.
Second Annual Car Show
The Maddie Potts Foundation presents their Second Annual Car Show. Bikes and tractors welcome! Registration is 10:00AM to 12:00PM. Show time is 12:00 to 2:00PM. $20 donation per car, spectators are free. Music by CruisinBruce, food by Mike’s City Dogs, 50/50 raffle, and more!
Past events
Maddie Potts Foundation Book Launch
Maddie Potts suffered an unexpected death of an asymptomatic brain aneurysm at the age of just 17. To honor the life of this young “hero,” Maddie’s parents started the Maddie Potts Foundation, dedicated to the remembrance of their daughter, taken too soon. Since establishment, this Foundation has prioritized raising awareness of brain aneurysms and their potential to cause devastating impacts on victims and their families; providing support for individuals and families as they navigate through unanticipated life changing loss or disability; and recognizing youth who embrace Maddie Mentality in art and athletics through scholarship and unified awards.
Having connected with so many families who have survived their own losses, the Foundation sought out a way to immortalize the memories of children like Maddie, whose lives went “unfinished”.
Lives Unfinished: Parents' Reflections on Child Loss is a collection of experiences shared by a group of 10 parents who have survived the loss of a child. The anthology was released on October 23, 2024 and will be officially introduced to the Maddie Potts Foundation community at a Book Launch on November 16, 2024 at the Maddie Potts Memorial Field House. Please join the authors at 11am as the Maddie Potts Foundation recognizes and appreciates the emotional and mental commitment each of these authors has made in order to memorialize the stories of their children and provide hope to others suffering similar fates.
For more information about the Maddie Potts Foundation or Lives Unfinished, please visit:
Web: https://www.maddiepottsfoundation.org/
Amazon: https://a.co/d/8obbhp5
1st Annual Maddie Potts Fitness Challenge
August 11, 2018
University of Rhode Island Recreation Facilities
The Maddie Potts Foundation Golf Tournament
June 15, 2024 Richmond Country Club
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5th Annual Wine and Beer Tasting
March 16, 2024 Valley Country Club
SOLD OUT in 5 days! Sorry!
Huge thanks to Stevie B Sports and TASCA for your communities enormous continued support!
Maddie Potts Memorial Soccer Jamboree
September 2, 2023
Chariho High School
Teams from Connecticut and RI compete annually in this fun day of soccer and pay tribute to Maddie, who will forever be their Captain. Each team selects a player that demonstrates their best “Maddie Mentality.”
**Watch out for dates of the 5th Annual Maddie Potts Jamboree in 2024!
Prom Dress Sale in Honor of Maddie’s 18th Birthday
April 8, 2018 South County Movement Center
Over 100 dresses collected and sold for minimum to help send girls to prom! And truckloads of animal shelter donations.
4th Annual Wine and Beer Tasting
March 18, 2023 Valley Country Club West Warwick, RI
$27,000 raised and $7,000 donated to the Teddy McKendall family
2nd Annual “Jail & Bail”
January 2023
Our dedicated supporters nominated their friends, family, and coworkers to be “locked up” for a great cause. They then spread the word to “bail them out” and raised over $20,000 for Maddie’s Foundation!
Maddie’s Annual Celebration of Life, Corn Hole Tournament & Basket Raffle
September 19, 2022 Alaina’s Alehouse Richmond, RI
Featuring music by “Those Guys!”
3rd Annual Maddie Potts Soccer Jamboree
September 4, 2021
Hosted by Bacon Academy of Colchester, CT - They started it all and raised another $3,200 for a girl they never even knew!
4th Annual Maddie Potts Fitness Challenge
August 14, 2021 Ningret Park Charlestown, RI
Nearly 300 participants helped us raise over $11,000 having a fun day of fitness!
The Maddie Potts Foundation Golf Tournament
June 19, 2021 Richmond Country Club Richmond, RI
Thanks to all 220 participants & sponsors, we were able to raise another $33,000!
The Maddie Potts Memorial Field House Groundbreaking Ceremony
April 11, 2021 Chariho Regional High School Athletic Stadium
3rd Annual Maddie Potts Fitness Challenge
All work outs available online. After all, it was 2020…
$4,000 raised!
4th Annual Maddie Potts Celebration of Life and Corn Hole Tournament
September 20, 2020 Alaina’s Ale House Richmond, RI
$7,000 raised!
2nd Annual Maddie Potts Fitness Challenge
August 17, 2019 Ninigret Park Charlestown, RI
$15,000 raised and over 400 participants underwent a great work out!
1st Annual Maddie Potts Golf Tournament
June 20, 2020 Richmond Country Club Richmond, RI
Second Annual Maddie Potts 5K Fun Run
May 5, 2019 Ninigret Park Charlestown, RI
March 24, 2019 Olney-Margolies Athletic Center, Brown University Positive Coaching Alliance
For youth and high school coaches, athletes, and parents who want to learn more about the power of positive coaching and the #MaddieMentality to develop better athletes and better people.
Yellow Monarch Gallery
March 9, 2019 North Kingstown High School
This art gallery included all different types of art, ranging from photography, paintings, to pottery. This event was planned and coordinated by Liz Peters for her senior project at NK High School. It provided a chance to honor Maddie and celebrate beautiful artworks of her own and many others.
Melodies for Maddie
February 2, 2019 Bean Barn
"I put together this concert to honor Maddie's life, her legacy and her love of music... I'm going to be playing songs that I connect to Maddie and her impact on my life along with tons of super fun songs that she got me hooked on." - Lauryn Hall
Maddie Potts First Annual 5K Fun Run
June 10, 2018 Ninigret Park
Charlestown RI
January 21, 2018 South Kingstown Town Beach
Ocean State Waves and RBAC Game Night
July 12, 2018 Many thanks to…
1st Annual Maddie Potts Memorial Cornhole Tournament and Basket Raffle
October 2017…. How Maddie’s Foundation truly started. An event hosted by friends in their backyard. The same friends that now make up the entirely volunteer Board of Directors. An event sponsored and funded by community businesses and donations, a day in which our family was presented with the most beautiful memorial bench that resides outside of Maddie’s Memorial Field House. An event that still reminds us that even in the worst loss a parent can sustain, we will never be alone in it. Thank you all for starting this “foundation” for which we could build upon. Literally!
Maddie Potts Memorial Field House Ribbon Cutting
Sunday, August 14, 2022
Chariho High School Athletics Stadium
Enormous thank you to the Charlestown Rathskellar for hosting our post-dedication luncheon and donating 20% of the proceeds back to the foundation!
Fairways to the Future Golf Tournament
Benefiting the Maddie Potts Foundation
June 22, 2019 Richmond Country Club Richmond, RI
In its ninth and final year, The Fairway Foundation donated the remainder of their endowment along with the proceeds from this golf tournament to the Maddie Potts Foundation! Their goal is to assist the Potts family in advancing the work of their foundation and furthermore, to encourage others to be mindful of the important values that built the legacy Maddie has left behind.
