12 Days of Christmas, Flyers In The News, In The News

12 Days of Christmas 2025: A Look Back at a Record Giving Campaign

09
Feb

St. Francis Inn

It’s a Flyers Alumni tradition going back more than 20 years. Each and every year, the Alumni start the holiday season by volunteering our time to deliver traditional holiday foods to St. Francis Inn.

The tradition continued this year as the kickoff event of the 2025 edition of the 12 Days of Christmas

St. Francis Inn — Part 2

On December 8, 2025, the Flyers Alumni returned to St. Francis Inn. The Alumni made a $2,500 donation to the “Adopt a Family” initiative to help an individual family in need during the holidays.

Strides for Gianluca

On December 10, the Flyers Alumni presented a $3,500 donation to Strides for Gianluca. LINK TO https://strides4gianluca.com/
Strides for Gianluca is a nonprofit 501c3 committed to making a difference in the lives of those affected by cerebral palsy by raising awareness through running & skating strides.
Founded by Vito Aconi in honor of his son, Strides for Gianluca’s mission is to raise public awareness for cerebral palsy (CP). CP is the most common lifelong motor disability and approximately 10,000 babies are born with CP every year.

Partners in Outreach

Partners in Outreach (PIO) is based in Chester Springs, PA. Staffed entirely by volunteers, the mission of Partners in Outreach is to improve the lives of children residing in Chester County and its surroundings. Specifically, PIO works to close literacy gaps. The organization supports summer camp access and participation, and enhancing holiday and cultural expression.

Team Foster

On Day 5 of the 2025 edition of the 12 Days of Christmas, the Flyers presented a $4,500 check to Team Foster. LINK TO https://share.google/sF54jGncxpwNXNxW5
The donation was made for a specific purpose. Team Foster will distribute the money to three military veteran families in need during the holidays.
Team Foster’s primary mission is to raise money to provide accredited, life-saving service dogs to injured and disabled veterans. The Flyers Alumni partnered with Team Foster and America’s VetDogs to foster and train Stanley (the future service dog the Flyers Alumni adopted in  2025).

Every Child Deserves a Bike

Through the Flyers Alumni’s ongoing Every Child Deserves a Bike partnership with Help Hope Live https://helphopelive.org/ , the Flyers Alumni funded, and donated three brand new and fully customized adaptive bicycles to local youngsters on Days 6, 7, and 8 of the 2025 edition of The 12 Days of Christmas.
Adaptive bicycles, which are not covered by insurance, cost in the neighborhood of $6,000 and up. That’s because each one has to be individually built to the specifications of a special-needs child. The bikes typically have a life-changing impact on children with special physical needs. They provide both greater mobility and a form of physical therapy.
For more information on our Every Child Deserves a Bike program, click here: https://flyersalumni.net/deserves-a-bike/

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Youth Hockey Dues

The cost of participating in hockey, from the minor hockey level on up, has skyrocketed in recent years. Many families — and youngsters who are eager to play and learn the game — have been priced out.
That is why Day 9 of the 2025 edition of the 12 Days of Christmas is special to all of us at the Flyers Alumni Association. Without having access to the game at the minor hockey level, none of us would have been able to grow our passion for the sport.
On Day 9, the Flyers Alumni paid the participation dues on behalf of a local youngster who otherwise could not have played. It’s a symbolic gesture but one that is extremely meaningful to us. Go get ’em out there!

Tim Kerr Charities

Flyers Hall of Fame member Tim Kerr created Tim Kerr Charities some 36 years ago, long before it became common for professional athletes to have charitable foundations. Over its history, TKC has raised more than $3,000,000 and supported more than 105 charity and community organizations in Avalon and other South Jersey locales.
The Tim Kerr Charities’ mission is to stage multisport events for families at the highest possible levels of challenge, safety, and integrity. To date, TKC has hosted 134 different events. Tim himself and wife Midge aren’t just the hosts: they manage events and participate directly.
On the 10th Day of the 2025 Twelve Days of Christmas, the Flyers Alumni proudly presented a $3,500 donation to Tim Kerr Charities. Learn more about TKC, sign up for events, become a volunteer or make a donation here:  https://www.timkerrcharities.org/

Philly Spin-In

On the 11th day of the 2025 Twelve Days of Christmas, the Flyers Alumni made a $3,500 contribution to the upcoming Children’s Hospital of Pennsylvania (CHOP) Philly Spin-in event in honor of nine-year-old Annabella.

When Annabella was only five week old, her pediatrician detected a heart murmur and encouraged the family to go to CHOP for further testing. Soon after, she was diagnosed with a large inferior sinus venosus-type atrial septal heart defect, with unusual dilation in both chambers on the right side of her heart. Annabella underwent successful open-heart surgery at CHOP during the COVID-19 pandemic. Since then, Annabella has thrived. She’s now nine years old and enjoys playing field hockey and basketball, loves watching The Sound of Music, and one day, hopes to become a professional athlete.

As an additional component of our participation, Flyers Alumni president Brad Marsh will take part in the Philly Spin-In event itself on March 8, 2026. The event is a high-energy, high-impact team cycling party: Its mission is to improve the lives of children with heart disease. This year’s event will take place at Live! Casino and Hotel in South Philadelphia (900 Packer Ave.)

For more information on the Philly Spin-In — including event registration and donation opportunities — click here: https://www.phillyspinin.org/

Alex’s Lemonade Stand

Founded locally in 2000 by Alex Scott (1996-2004) during her battle with neuroblastoma, The Alex’s Lemonade Stand Foundation has grown nationally into one of the most prominent pediatric cancer charities across the the United States.
The Alex’s Lemonade Stand foundation functions for grantmaking for medical research, public awareness and education, travel for pediatric cancer patients and their families.
On the 12th day of the 2025 edition of the 12 Days of Christmas, Brad Marsh presented a $3,500 donation on behalf of the Flyers Alumni.  For more information, click here: https://www.alexslemonade.org/

 

20 Dollar Kindness Challenge

The $20 kindness challenge is a movement where participants are given a $20 bill and tasked with using the money to perform an act of kindness for others. The challenge originated with a high school English teacher, Kristina Ulmer, who started it in memory of her late sister, Katie Amodei.
In 2014, Kristina’s sister, Katie, passed away in a car accident. Katie had just completed her EMT training and was passionate about helping people. Police recovered about $100 in tips from her purse after the accident, and Ulmer decided to use this money to inspire good deeds in her sister’s memory.
Ulmer wanted her students to actively work against this disconnection by performing acts of kindness and then documenting the experience. The project started in the fall of 2018 with her class and has grown into a widespread movement, thanks to community donations that allow it to continue every semester.
As a wrapup to the 2025 edition of the 12 Days of Christmas, the Flyers Alumni donated $3,500 of the Kindness Challenge. For more information, click here: https://www.lovebutton.org/the-20-kindness-challenge-how-one-teacher-is-creating-a-legacy-of-giving/