PROVIDENCE, R.I. (WPRI) — There may be no bigger Boston Bruins fan than Stephen D’Acchioli.
“I used to have a TV in the basement, a black-and-white TV, and I used to put aluminum foil around the antenna to get [channel] 38 from Boston,” he said.
When the Boston Bruins Foundation created a specialty charity plate in 2014 for fans who bleed black and yellow, D’Acchioli knew he had to get one.
D’Acchioli quickly submitted the application and payment required for the license plate, hoping he’d have it relatively soon.
“I went on the site, downloaded a couple of copies [of the application], mailed one copy out with the check to the Boston Bruins Foundation and said ‘I’ll just sit back and wait,'” he recalled.
But eight years later, those license plates still aren’t in production.
Paul Grimaldi, a spokesperson for the R.I. Division of Motor Vehicles, said the license plates haven’t been made yet because they haven’t reached the 600 pre-order threshold.
Grimaldi said the Bruins license plate is one of nine charity plates that are not in production because of the pre-order requirement.
D’Acchioli reached out to 12 Responds regarding the vanity plate, which he’s been early awaiting to receive for nearly a decade.
“I want to get that plate,” D’Acchioli said. “You know, I’m 70 years old, I want to get the plate before they take my license away and I can’t drive anymore.”
12 News reached out to Bob Sweeney, president of the Boston Bruins Foundation, who said they’re waiting for several dozen more deposits.
“We have just over 450, so we need to get to 600 to get these plates up and running,” Sweeney said.
All of the proceeds from the license plates will eventually go toward Rhode Island youth hockey, according to Sweeney.
“There is no one that wants to get this program off the ground more than myself, and the Boston Bruins Foundation, because we don’t take one cent from the proceeds to this,” Sweeney said.
Massachusetts residents have had the Bruins license plate for some time. Rhode Islanders interested in getting a Bruins license plate can apply online to reserve one.
The application should be mailed to the Boston Bruins Foundation, along with a $42.50 check. Drivers will be required to pay a $10 surcharge when renewing their registration, which will be sent directly to the Boston Bruins Foundation.
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