In 2019, the Flyers Alumni Association launched a new program designed to become an annual tradition during the holiday season: the 12 days of Christmas giving. Each day for (at least) 12 days, the Alumni association donates money, vital supplies or volunteer time to charities, educational organizations or to individuals or families in need.
This year, there are several new facets to the 12 Days program.
First, there is wider involvement among the Flyers Alumni Association membership base in identifying worthy charities and people in need. Among the Alumni who brought donation candidates to the attention of Association president Brad Marsh and the board of directors were the likes of Kerry Huffman, Orest Kindrachuk, Shjon Podein, Garry Peters, Joe Watson (via wife Jamie) and Alumni board member Bob Kelly.
The number one priority, of course, is to identify the recipients to whom the Alumni Association can bring the most-needed assistance. Secondarily, this is a way to bring the generations of Flyers Alumni closer together with the Association to unite for good causes.
For example, Peters, who played for the inaugural Flyers team in 1967-68, lives in Saskatchewan, while Podein, who played for the Flyers in the mid-1990s, lives in Minnesota. Peters suggested the Flyers Alumni consider helping out the Saskatoon chapter of KidSport, for whom he’s been a fundraiser for 30-plus years. Podein suggested the Alumni help out Community Food Response; the food bank in his native Rochester, Minn. Both charities were selected by Marsh and the Alumni Association board among this year’s recipients.
The COVID-19 pandemic has caused alarming levels of food assistance needs in communities across the United States. The Flyers Alumni Association put a little extra emphasis this year on prioritizing 12 Days recipients who meet this need in their communities. Apart from CFR in Rochester, the Flyers Alumni is once again assisting the Toyota Food Drive on behalf of Philabundance. Additionally, the Alumni selected at Huffman’s suggestion, the Bucks County Housing Group, which provides food pantry assistance in addition to aiding people dealing with crises related to looming homelessness or social service needs.
The primary focus of the Flyers Alumni Association to benefit the Delaware Valley community. As such, the majority of 12 Days of Christmas Giving recipients are based in the greater Philadelphia area. Each day, last year, the Flyers Alumni Association launched a new program designed to become an annual tradition during the holiday season: the 12 days of Christmas giving. Each day for (at least) 12 days, the Alumni association donates money, vital supplies or volunteer time to charities, educational organizations or to individuals or families in need.
This year, there are several new facets to the 12 Days program.
First, there is wider involvement among the Flyers Alumni Association membership base in identifying worthy charities and people in need. Among the Alumni who brought donation candidates to the attention of Association president Brad Marsh and the board of directors were the likes of Kerry Huffman, Orest Kindrachuk, Shjon Podein, Garry Peters, Joe Watson (via wife Jamie) and Alumni board member Bob Kelly.
The number one priority, of course, is to identify the recipients to whom the Alumni Association can bring the most-needed assistance. Secondarily, this is a way to bring the generations of Flyers Alumni closer together with the Association to unite for good causes.
For example, Peters, who played for the inaugural Flyers team in 1967-68, lives in Saskatchewan, while Podein, who played for the Flyers in the mid-1990s, lives in Minnesota. Peters suggested the Flyers Alumni consider helping out the Saskatoon chapter of KidSport, for whom he’s been a fundraiser for 30-plus years. Podein suggested the Alumni help out Community Food Response; the food bank in his native Rochester, Minn. Both charities were selected by Marsh and the Alumni Association board among this year’s recipients.
The COVID-19 pandemic has caused alarming levels of food assistance needs in communities across the United States. The Flyers Alumni Association put a little extra emphasis this year on prioritizing 12 Days recipients who meet this need in their communities. Apart from CFR in Rochester, the Flyers Alumni is once again assisting the Toyota Food Drive on behalf of Philabundance. Additionally, the Alumni selected at Huffman’s suggestion, the Bucks County Housing Group, which provides food pantry assistance in addition to aiding people dealing with crises related to looming homelessness or social service needs.
The primary focus of the Flyers Alumni Association to benefit the Delaware Valley community. As such, the majority of 12 Days of Christmas Giving recipients are based in the greater Philadelphia area. Each day, across all Flyers Alumni content platforms, we will highlight one recipient from the 2020 edition of the 12 Days of Christmas Giving program.
DAY 1: SALVATION ARMY TOY DONATION
On Dec. 10, 2020, the Flyers Alumni officially kicked off the 2020 edition of the 12 Days of Christmas Giving. With unanimous approval from the Alumni board, Marsh purchased $1,600 worth of brand new toys and donated them to the Salvation Army in order to distribute to the children of families in need this holiday season. The donation was made in support of the Philadelphia Flyers Warriors holiday toy drive program in conjunction with the Salvation Army.
The toys were purchased from ExtraordinaryEd in Collingswood, NJ. Marsh chose ExtraordinaryEd because, with so many small businesses hurting during the pandemic, he wanted the Alumni to help support a small, independently owned local business in his own community. Especially because ExtraordinaryEd specializes in educationally focused toys, games and puzzles designed to help promote supplementary cognitive development in children, Marsh felt that a Salvation Army donation of products purchased through that store would be beneficial on many different fronts.
DAY 2: SALVATION ARMY TOY DONATION: BUSANSKY ELEMENTARY SCHOOL TOY DRIVE
Bob “the Hound” Kelly’s wife, Stacey, was a longtime 2nd grade teacher at the Samuel Busansky Elementary School in Pemberton, NJ. Stacey, who is now retired, and Bob have both been actively involved over the years in the school’s annual toy drive to buy holiday presents for the students.
On Friday, Dec. 11, 2020, the Kelly family presented a $1,500 check to the school on behalf of the Flyers Alumni Association. The money will be used to support the holiday toy drive.
“We’ve been involved with the toy drive for, I think, 14 years. In the early years, we bought and donated some presents ourselves. But we;ve moved onward and upward since then, because we can offer more help this way. Many of the students are from lower-income families, and they are appreciative of the Christmas presents. This can be a rough time of year for kids from lower-income families, and this year has been very challenging for a lot of families,” Bob Kellly explained.