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Kids Stuff
By William Feldman

Welcome to Kids Stuff. Today’s column includes a closer look at the 31st Flyers Wives Fight For Lives Carnival, which will be at the Wachovia Center for one of the largest professional sports fund-raisers this Sunday.
The Philadelphia Flyers, the Philadelphia Phantoms and their wives will be on hand from noon to 5 p.m. This year’s co-chairs are Flyers wives Sylvie Briere and Megan Knuble. I was able to catch up with Holly Cote, wife of Riley Cote. This is her second year with the carnival.
The Flyers Wives Fight For Lives Carnival gives fans the opportunity to meet and take pictures with their favorite Flyers and Phantoms players, play state-of-the-art games and activities for children of all ages, such as Shot-On-Goal, Guitar Hero, dunk tank, spin the wheel, balloon darts, guitar hero, dance revolution and video games and others, all in an effort to raise funds to benefit area non-profit groups and organizations.
Fans will also have the chance to take their photo with the Stanley Cup and members of the Flyers alumni. Also, fans can purchase a chance to win a team-autographed 2008 Harley Davidson, sponsored by Harley Davidson.
A limited number of early admission tickets are available at $37, which includes admission at noon; or general admission tickets from 2 to 5 p.m. at $20 for adults and $15 for children ages 2 to 12.
More than 3,000 mystery gift bags have been stuffed with autographed items and could include apparel, photos and other team-related items. Fans can also bid on items through an online auction or purchase. This fun event is organized and produced by the Comcast-Spectacor Foundation, the charitable arm of Comcast-Spectacor. Its mission is to improve the quality of life in the Greater Philadelphia Region through contributions, donations, player appearances and random gifts of kindness on behalf of the company’s entities, which includes the 76ers, Flyers and Phantoms; the Wachovia Complex and Comcast SportsNet. Since its inception, the Comcast-Spectacor Foundation has contributed more than $20 million to charity.
New to the carnival this year are Danny Briere, Martin Biron, Kimmo Timonen, Scott Hartnell, Jason Smith, Scottie Upshall and Joffrey Lupul. However, retired players scheduled will include Frank Bialowas, Bill Clement, Gary Dornhoefer, Bob Kelly, Marcel Pelletier, Keith Primeau, Brian Propp, Don Saleski, Dave Schultz, Joe Watson and Larry Zeidel (list subject to change).
Also new is a limited sponsorship package for groups of 20. This includes an opportunity to spend 30 minutes inside the Flyers locker room with a guided tour by one of the players and tickets to the carnival, as well as a company or individual’s name displayed on the state-of-the-art LED ring around the Wachovia during the carnival. For more information, call 215-389-9426.
The foundation is also currently selling spots in advance for pictures and autographs with select players, including Simon Gagne, Danny Briere, Mike Knuble, Scott Hartnell, Martin Biron, Kimmo Timonen, Scottie Upshall and Mike Richards. Advance arrangements for photographs are $27 and advance arrangements for autographs are $22. All sessions with Danny Briere are sold out.
The first carnival was held Feb. 1, 1977, and has raised more than $20 million for area charities.
PAWS, one of the beneficiaries from this carnival, is dedicated to promoting public welfare and to saving the lives of Philadelphia’s homeless, abandoned and unwanted animals. Flyers wives Lisa Hartnell and Heather Hatcher helped out in January at PAWS Adoption Center at 100 North Second St.
The wives walked dogs, played with cats, did some cleaning, and then toured the newest animal adoption center in Philadelphia. PAWS rescues dogs and cats in need of permanent homes and is expected to save the lives of at least 2,000 to 3,000 pets this year.
PAWS is a donor-funded division of the Philadelphia Animal Care and Control Association. It receives about 30,000 homeless, abandoned and orphaned animals each year. PAWS is working to end the killing of healthy and treatable pets in Philadelphia and will serve as a place for people to learn more about being responsible pet owners and to help care for animals in need. All PAWS animals are spayed or neutered and up to date on all appropriate vaccines before going to their new homes.
Other charities have included Rubye’s Kids, which provides charitable services that further the emotional and educational welfare of underprivileged children. Rubye’s Kids is committed to bringing joy to often forgotten, needy children from inner-city Philadelphia. Other charities include the Girl Scouts, University of Pennsylvania’s surgical center, PAL, the Battleship New Jersey and many more.
In fact, Flyers wives Stacey Stevens and Holly Cote joined students from the LEAP Academy in Camden for a special on-board class on the Battleship New Jersey’s USS Mason, a Navy destroyer that was manned by an all African-American crew during World War II.
A carnival Web site has been set up at www.flyerscarnival.com. Tickets for the carnival, photographs, autographs or Shot on Goal sessions can be purchased at the Wachovia Box Office at www.ComcastTix.com or by calling 1-800-298-4200.
"I hope everyone comes out and brings lots of money. It is for a good cause," Holly said.

It was brought to my attention that two amazing seventh grade students, Sandro Gonzalez and Heather Davis, from the First Philadelphia Charter School for Literacy, located at 4300 Tacony St. in Bridesburg, are responsible for putting together a fund-raiser, Hoops for Hope Shoot-A-Thon, to help kids in Zambia, Africa.
They were reading an article in Time for Kids that told about how HIV/AIDS is affecting the people in Zambia. The article mentioned a Web site for more information, which these two students apparently did their research on.
Next, with this idea of a fund-raiser, they went to their history teacher, Mr. Timothy Hausch, who told them to go to their principal, Mrs. Stacey Clarke, for approval.
This is where my readers come in. The fund-raiser is open to the public and takes place at their school on Sunday, March 9, from 2 to 5 p.m.
The money raised will go to help kids in Zambia. They are hoping it will be directed to the right people to build hospitals and get medical supplies to treat HIV/AIDS patients. They have found that thousands of kids in Zambia are rapidly losing their parents to HIV/AIDS every day.
Sandro and Heather have a mission: to have people come to the event with hopes of raising $3,000 or more by shooting 6,000 free throws. People who want to make the free throws have to get pledges. They can go around to the people attending the Shoot-A-Thon and ask for various donation amounts: $2, $5, $10, etc., until they have a pledge totaling $20.
Now they can take that perfect shot or as many baskets as they can, within five minutes. The day will also include face painting, a ball toss, a raffle, food and refreshments. Again, the event is open to the public.
For more information, call Lois Trantas at 215-743-3100.

Sesame Street Live! Elmo Makes Music will come to the Wachovia Spectrum from March 5 to 10. Elmo, Zoe, Big Bird and all their Sesame Street friends will be there.
Jenny, an eager new music teacher, arrives on Sesame Street only to discover that her instruments are missing. Jenny’s new Muppet friends quickly come to the rescue and discover ‘instruments’ they never knew existed…rubber duckies, trash can lids and even cookie jars. Elmo and friends teach children that everyone can make and enjoy music together.
Adults will enjoy listening, with their kids, to The Hustle, You Should Be Dancin and Rockin’ Robin. It will also feature nearly two dozen songs that children will like to sing along with: C Is for Cookie and The Alphabet Song. Count along with The Count, do the Crumb-A-Rumba with Rosita, and more.
For information, go to ComcastTIX.com, call 1-800-298-4200, or visit the Wachovia Complex box office or select Acme locations. ••
Columnist William Feldman can be contacted by e-mail at wmkidscolumn@aol.com