AP Colorado Avalanche center Brad Richardson jumps in to help in a game of tug-o-war.

Across the park, behind a frontier-era house, teammate Brad Richardson attempts to walk on a pair wooden stilts, then jumps into a tug-o-war with a group of third graders.

AP Avalanche center Brad Richardson helps a youngster get his balance on some wooden stilts.

If you play for Colorado, community service is requirement. But watch the players interact with children -- the patience they show, the smiles on their faces -- you understand these are more than the-boss-made-me-do-it events.

"It's a team thing, but most of us go out of our way to (make it fun)," Laperriere said. "We realize that we're in a position to help young kids and change their day, and if we can change one day in their life, we'll do it."

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MAKING IT A PRIORITY ...

The NHL has no community service requirements like the NBA, but the Avalanche, like most teams in the league, encourages its players to give back.

Colorado has four main initiatives: literacy, appreciating the arts, health and fitness, and making hockey accessible to all ages and all skill levels.

The players are a big part of the community relations program, going with kids to museums and libraries, conducting hockey and learn-to-skate clinics, demonstrating activities to stay fit, even sharing their diets to show kids how to eat right.

In all, Colorado's players put in about 100 hours of community service during the course of a season through four mandatory team functions (a visit to Children's Hospital this week was one) and four or five personal appearances.

"The players are there just for them," said Deb Dowling, vice president of community relations for Kroenke Sports Enterprises, the parent company of the Avalanche and the Denver Nuggets.

"The fact the players are a role model, if they say 'I might do this, you should too,' or, 'I'm a hockey player but I enjoy the arts' or 'It's important for you to read,' it means a lot more when their sports idol says it instead of their teacher or their parents."

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... THEN MAKING IT FUN

AP Ian Laperriere signs an autograph for a member of the Colorado Special Hockey team.

During their appearance at the Four Mile House, a 148-year-old structure that was once a stopping point between Denver and Kansas, Stastny and Richardson were greeted with a loud "Go Avs!" from about 50 kids from nearby Bromwell Elementary, then followed them out into the park. They split up into groups, taking turns roasting marshmallows on an open fire and trying out old-time games like sack races, tug-o-war and walking on stilts.

Richardson, who had a hard time getting his balance on the stilts, later boarded a covered wagon for a ride around the park, while Stastny fed a mule with the rest of the group. The players capped the appearance by signing autographs.

The kids were wild at times and asked plenty of questions ("How much money do you make?" was a popular one), but Stastny and Richardson kept their smiles the whole time, helping kids on the stilts, showing them how to cook the marshmallows, judging the sack races.

"They're learning and full of excitement all the time -- I had to tell them to mellow out a little bit -- but it's just an hour out of the day and you might as well do it more often," Stastny said.

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TEAM SPIRIT

AP Ian Laperriere signs an autograph for a member of the Colorado Special Hockey team.

While not all of the players were aware Laperriere was a professional athlete, he treated them all the same, skating hard with the older ones, taking it slow and easy with the others.

A few times kids got distracted or discouraged and lay on the ice, which quickly got the attention of Laperriere, who raced over, offered encouragement and got them skating again. He also took time to talk with kids who weren't skating and spent about 45 minutes signing autographs and posing for photos with the more than 40 players and their families, his chatter and wide smile making everyone feel comfortable.

"You just get here and it doesn't take too much to get going," Laperriere said. "Especially this time of the year, with Christmas around the corner and it's holiday time, you're in the spirit to make a difference in a kid's life and we get to do that."

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John Marshall is asap's sports writer, based in Denver.

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