CHICAGO — For the record, Julie Henderson and Gwynne Richards do not work for the Chicago Blackhawks.
But the teachers at Andrew Jackson Language Academy and huge Hawks fans sure act like they do when dressing up as the self-titled, "Chicago Hawkettes."
For nearly the last two years, the pair has dressed up like the female version of the Hawks' mascot Tommy Hawk, complete with googly-eyed bird hats, feathers and leggings they knitted themselves.
"We started with just the hats, then we went into the full costume," said Henderson, of Avondale, who teaches Italian to students in kindergarten through eighth grade.
Henderson and Richards have been Hawks supporters since they met 10 years ago while teaching at Jackson. Since they began dressing up, they spend intermissions mingling with fans throughout the 300 level of the United Center.
"We walk around, tell the fans, 'Thanks for coming,' " said Richards, of Rogers Park, a seventh- and eighth-grade writing instructor. "We would love to be officially affiliated with the Hawks, and some people think we already are."
The Chicago Hawkettes on Saturday debuted a Facebook page filled with photos, including one with Hawks mascot Tommy Hawk. They hope to become official team ambassadors, visiting children at hospitals and making other appearances.
Their favorite player is Patrick Sharp, who's no longer with the team and hosts the Hawks on Tuesday with his new club, the Dallas Stars. They initially started the "B Sharp Band," in honor of the former Hawks forward but thought being "Hawkettes" would be easier because they wouldn't have to try and sneak instruments into the United Center.
Richards is such a die-hard fan, she incorporated her "Hawkettes" identity into an amateur figure-skating competition in Las Vegas in October, where she finished first in two categories and took fourth in another.
Their teaching gigs keep Henderson and Richards from becoming season ticket holders, but they still try to attend two home games a month.
Both are cancer survivors — Richards beat breast cancer; Henderson beat Hodgkin's lymphoma, bladder cancer and skin cancer — and they feel blessed to be able to spread cheer to others during Hawks games.
"We like to have fun. That's who we are," Richards said. "United Center is a great venue for that. If we make people chuckle, then we've done our job."
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