U.S. Army Veteran Frank Ellis sprints onto the field at Gillette Stadium for a running drill. He is joined by U.S. Air Force Veteran Paul O’Connor of Raynham, MA.

By Tom Bannister

Frank Ellis of Somerville spent a dream day at Gillette Stadium working on his football skills with New England Patriots alumni while being cheered on by Patriots mascot Pat Patriot and New England Patriots cheerleaders, all courtesy of CVS Health.

In a salute to some of the men and women across New England who have served our country, CVS Health and the New England Patriots teamed up to host the third annual CVS Health/New England Patriots Football Skills Camp for Veterans.

CVS Health worked with the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs Boston Adaptive Sports program to afford more than 30 military veterans of all abilities the opportunity to work on their football skills on the field at Gillette Stadium alongside former Patriots players. Veterans who participated in the event included men and women from Connecticut, Massachusetts, and Rhode Island, as well as some of their family members.

The CVS Health/New England Patriots Football Skills Camp for Veterans kicked off in “New England Patriots style” with veterans from all branches of the military experiencing the thrill of taking the field through an entryway comprised of Patriots flags.

It continued with veterans sharpening their football skills at blocking, throwing and kicking stations run by Patriots alumni Jon Williams and Garin Veris.

The special camp included opportunities to get autographs from and take pictures with the Patriots alumni, cheerleaders, and mascot Pat Patriot. As part of the camp, the veterans were treated to lunch at CBS Scene, as well as tickets for a visit to The Hall at Patriot Place presented by Raytheon. The camp was an extension of CVS Health’s overall commitment to supporting America’s military heroes and to individuals of all abilities.