We hope everyone had a great Thanksgiving filled with family and friends! We wanted to alert you to a great event tomorrow night – details below.

But first, a few quick updates. Kevin had a wonderful Thanksgiving. Kevin, Joe, Chris, Olivia, and Lindsey went up to see their Uncle Rich and Aunt Sherri, who were tremendous hosts as always! Growing up, we always loved seeing the Dickert side of the family on Thanksgiving, and we are thrilled to be able to continue the tradition.

Earlier in the week, the Neary and Dickert families got together for a baby shower for Olivia and Joe at the Neary residence. It was a co-ed event, although the boys did go into the other room to watch NFL RedZone while gifts were opened. It was great to see the family!

Olivia and Joe opening presents

The Neary/Dickert cousins, including Jake (son of Mike and Kari Dickert)

Irish Christmas Party – for Kevin’s Benefit

We are so grateful to the Brehon Law Society and the Friendly Sons of St. Patrick for donating the net proceeds of their annual Christmas party for Kevin’s benefit. The event is tomorrow night – see below for details! It’s a great event and a good opportunity to see wonderful people. Please consider attending or sharing with your network in Philadelphia! Get your tickets here!

The Brehon Law Society and the Friendly Sons of St. Patrick cordially invite you to our 4th Annual Joint Irish Christmas Party for the Benefit of our Friend, Kevin Neary.

In this Season of Thankfulness, Family, and Giving, please come out to celebrate Christmas and network with your Irish friends and colleagues; and most importantly, to celebrate and support our friend, Kevin Neary.

LIVE MUSIC from Fan Favorite: The John Byrne Band

Heavy Appetizers and Hors D’oeuvres and Discounted Cash Bar

Admission: $25, with net proceeds to be donated to Kevin Neary

Another year, another wildly successful golf tournament! It almost seems routine, but trust us when we say that the support from you all is extraordinary. We are beyond thrilled and grateful for such a fantastic turnout, donations (including some incredible auction items), and overall support you have shown for Kevin.

There were a number of highlights, but we’d be remiss if we didn’t give a special shoutout to Bill Burland for recruiting so many golfers and sponsors, Denise Neary for coordinating the auction and program, and Chris Kelly for his successful pinch-hit as emcee AND auctioneer extraordinaire!

We’re also grateful to the amazing committee and volunteers that organized the event. Like we said, it might seem routine — but that’s the result of the tireless work from our fantastic volunteers who secure auction items, line up golfers, and make the day run smoothly.

Thanks to all for your support! The funds raised by the great team effort at the event go a long way to meeting Kevin’s everyday care needs as well as enabling him to get out and about.

Check out some great pictures of the event below.

If you have any more photos from the event, send them over to Chris Neary at nearyc@gmail.com. It’d be great to post them on our Facebook page!

Golfers ready to head out on a beautiful morning

Local resident Ed Dougherty tells a story from his pro tour days to a packed house

Super volunteer Jan Tate and Kevin

Guests discuss their raffle strategy

Baby’s first FOKN tournament! Cousin Mike and Jake Dickert

Some of our great FOKN auction items

Mother-daughter supervolunteer duo!

Live auction items were a big hit

FORE! The tournament golf program is here! If you’re joining us on September 11th, you’ll want to check it out. Get a head start on our many great auction and raffle items. 

Golfing? Important info below – including new things this year!

On your way into Wyncote, stop at the Dunkin’ Donuts truck for a cup of coffee.

FOKN GOLF Program 2017

AMAZING NEWS….the September 11 golf tournament is sold out.

You can still sponsor the event, buy lunch tickets, and make a gift to the trust here:

https://www.eventbrite.com/e/fokn-golfin-2017-tickets-32679447106

Going to the tournament, or to the lunch?

We will have:

• Gift cards for sale, just below value (so many great places already in)
• Raffle prizes (including gift baskets, sporting event tickets and more!)
• 50/50 (winner gets half the amount collected)
• Silent auction items
• Live auction items

We’ll post a program in early September.

Great stuff is already in, and more is promised.

We have a little bargain to propose.  Want to buy tickets in advance?

50/50 TICKETS at the event will be:

• $5 each
• 5 for $20

RAFFLE TICKETS at the event will be:

• 5 for $25
• 15 for $50

We are offering a sale prior to the event.

If you act now and make a $100 purchase online by AUGUST 30, you can get $120 in value.

What do you need to do? Just click here!

You can select:

• Thirty 50/50 tickets, at a value of  $120, for $100

0r

• Thirty raffle tickets and five 50/50 tickets, at a value of $120, for $100

Your tickets will be waiting for you at the tournament—saving you time and money in the process.

A win/win—for a great cause.

FOKN Golf Update

Under two months until our September 11 golf tournament

(These are the tip of the iceberg—we will also have silent auction items, raffle items, and gift cards for sale.   Look for a draft program here just before the event.)

The Philadelphia Eagles are back with a fabulous gift (EAGLES have been stalwarts for Kevin!)—–their gifts add so much fun, and raise so much money to help Kevin.

There is so much more.

Coming to the tournament?   Read below, and start plotting your strategy.

Not coming, and know someone who is?  Consider asking someone to represent you to bid on an item.

Not coming, and don’t know anyone who is?  Reach out to us if there is an item here of interest—-last year, a wonderful guy playing the top 100 courses in the country reached out.   He had a spectacular day of golf, and made a gift to the trust.

MEET THE PRESS

Four tickets to a taping of the show in Washington, DC.

Mutually convenient date—must be used by February 2018.

Donated by:  Meet the Press

SULLIVAN’S STEAKHOUSE

$750 gift certificate to Sullivan’s Steak House, 5525 Concord Pike, Wilmington DE

Donated by:  Bill White and Sullivan’s

PRESIDENTS CUP

Two tournament passes to Liberty National Golf Club in Jersey City, New Jersey, for the 12th playing of the Presidents Cup, September 26 – October 1, 2017.

Watch the greatest golfers in the world compete, including Dustin Johnson, Jordan Spieth and Rickie Fowler from the U.S. and, for the international team – Hideki Matsuyama, Jason Day and Adam Scott.

Donated by:   The Presidents Cup

ARNOLD PALMER INVITATIONAL AND A WEEK’S STAY IN ORLANDO!

Two one day tickets to the March 12 – 18, 2018 Arnold Palmer Invitational at Bay Hill in Orlando, Florida AND a one-week condo stay in Orlando that week.

Donated by:   Arnold Palmer Invitational and the McGillians

GAMECOCKS FOOTBALL!

Two tickets to a University of South Carolina 2017 home game (date TBD), USC swag bag, tour of the campus, car service to and from airport and game, two complimentary tickets to South Carolina’s largest ticketed attraction – the Riverbanks Zoo, Sunday brunch at the Top of Carolina, South Carolina’s only rotating restaurant, and dinner with JP and Olivia Neary at the Original Zesto, featuring Columbia’s best fried chicken!

Donated by:  Olivia and JP Neary

Golf with the Padre and the Pro!

Local resident, and Saint John Fisher pastor, Father Robert Mc Dermott and PGA pro Ed Dougherty, have joined to offer the opportunity for two golfers to play with them at the TPC Jasna Polana Golf Course a PGA Tour course in Princeton New Jersey, one of the top private clubs in the state. The winning bidder will receive a day of golf and lunch, all compliments of Ed. The format will be Ed and Father Mc Dermott for six holes, and then Ed will golf with each of the other golfers for six holes each as will Father McDermott. While Ed will provide tips as play progresses, the day is not a golf lesson for the winning bidder.

A mutually agreed upon time will be arranged. This is a great opportunity for a serious golfer to golf at a prestigious course.

Take a look at the course at tpc.com/jasnapolana/golf and see what a great course you’ll be playing.

Donated by: Ed Dougherty and Father Robert McDermott

EAGLES!

Four Club tickets and parking, October 29 San Francisco 49ers 1:00 p.m. game, plus signed merchandise.

Donated by:  The Philadelphia Eagles

——–

Bill Burland predicts that there will only be 10 tickets left to sell by the time early bird ticket sales close on August 11.

So, if you have been putting off buying yours, it’s best to purchase now!

This post is in response to some frequently asked questions about our upcoming September 11 event.

You’ll find this information, and more, on our Eventbrite site by clicking here.

TICKET PRICES

We introduced EARLY BIRD pricing this year:

• Early bird single tickets are $125 (with an $8 fee)
• Early bird foursomes are $510 (with a $30 fee)

Early bird sales end on AUGUST 11.    After the 11th, ticket prices go up to $150 individual (plus fees), $550 foursome (plus fees).   ALL SALES END on September 2.

If you haven’t purchased tickets yet, there is no time like the present.

On the site, you can also purchase mulligans (not that you need them!) and sponsorships.

What’s the start time? We are starting at 8:30 on September 11!

What can you expect that day?

• Morning coffee from the Dunkin Donuts truck
• Volunteers at registration, providing good cheer and golf bags
• A chance to preview raffle, live and silent auction items
• Shotgun start at 8:30
• A spectacular day of golf on a world class course
• A Dixon golf game
• A barbecue lunch
• 50/50, raffles, and a silent auction
• A live auction program emceed by Brian Startare
• Kevin Neary!!!!

Any other questions about golf?  

Please contact Bill Burland at burlandbill@gmail.com or at 484.678.8000

DONORS, SPONSORS AND MORE

Please consider joining our growing honor roll of donors/sponsors and VIPs:

• Alliance Marketing and Kristi Crocker and Melissa Yakim  (Dunkin Donuts truck, gift basket and coupons)
• Aston Sunoco and Julie Narkin
• Barksdale Photography
• Bassetts Ice Cream and Michael  Strange
• Brandywine River Musem and Kathleen Barkasy
• Chaddsford Winery and Elaine Faso
• The Cheesecake Factory
• CobraPuma and Siobhan Howard
• DAS and Joe LaRose
• Delaware Theatre Company and Sarah Albrecht
• Dixon Golf
• Eastern State Penitentiary and Casey Paul
• Theresa and Donny Froio
• Gift on Wheels and Karen Thorp
• Tom Gilbert
• Hedgerow Theatre and Darlene McClellan
• The Honda Classic, Dana Johnson and Angelo Scarcetti
• Iron Hill Brewery and Kelly Regan
• J&J Snacks and Kristyn Castellante
• Johnnie-O and Kim Rohm
• Marianne Kaplan
• Chris Kelly and Denise Neary
• Kramer Portraits and Wendy Richards
• LaSalle University and John Lyons
• Limoncello
• Longwood Gardens and Monica Stazesky
• Lucky’s Coffee Shop and Matt Tyrawski
• Meet the Press
• Joe and Renee McGillian
• Deb and Phil Miller
• August Ober
• The National Constitution Center and Merissa Blum
• JP and Olivia Neary
• The Philadelphia Eagles
• The Philadelphia Flyers
• Painting with a Twist
• Jerry Quinn  (donating Villanova/Georgetown men’s basketball tickets!)
• Ricola and JoAnn Kislewski
• Salesianum and Nancy Meier and Brendan Kennealey
• Michael Szczerban
• Ken Seltzer
• The Shops at Liberty Place
• Sony Open
• Sproul Lanes and Sheila Biddle
• Brian Startare
• St. Joseph University and Mr. DiJulia
• Sullivans and Bill White
• Temple University
• Valcourt, Jon Capon and John Schiavello
• Wells Fargo Bank and Rachel Chapman
• Westfield Mall and Kimba Brown
• The Wilmington Blue Rocks
• Wyndham Hotels
• WOGL

Have auction items to donate?

Please contact Chris Kelly at kellyc51@comcast.net or at 301.613.8388.

WE NEED YOUR HELP!

With thanks to the extraordinary effort of too many volunteers to mention, this golf tournament is a day of great golf, great fun and fellowship.

But we need your help!

• We need golfers!   Remember, early bird tickets end August 11.   ALL sales end on September 2.

*****Please, share the word about this event — we promise that no one who attends will be disappointed.

• We need event sponsors.   (Hard to say how much good cheer can be provided by a free beer after a morning of golf!
• We need contributions to our golfer SWAG bags, and our silent and live auctions.    Good for local businesses and great for us!  Donation cut-off date is August 11.   Let us know if you have ideas!

Thanks so much for your support and kindness!

This spring has afforded me many opportunities to enjoy significant events in my life as well as the chance to interact with people who have similar injuries as me. Hopefully, these will be part of a collection of experiences that provide me the opportunity to have a busy few months that will culminate in a wonderful golf tournament on September 11^th of this year.

First, on Saturday, April 29^th, we welcomed Lindsey Schwalb and her family into our extended family in a wonderful ceremony and reception. She is the perfect complement to Christopher and someone who has helped me in many ways since she has been an integral part of my brother’s life. I owe a special thank you to Lindsey and her parents, Steve and Laurie Schwalb, for having the event in the Delaware Valley.

Kevin giving a toast

The Dickert cousins!

Second, in a few weeks, May 28^th to be exact, my brother Joseph and his wife Olivia will celebrate their first of many anniversaries. It has been great to see the two of them grow together so much in one year of marriage.  Olivia and her parents, Stan and Kim Cotton, have been incredible additions to our family as well.

Last, I recently completed the peer mentoring training at Magee Rehabilitation Hospital and had the opportunity to meet with one patient so far. It was a rewarding experience for me and I hope, not only, was it beneficial for the patient, but it is something that I have the opportunity to do more of in the future.

As you can see, there has been plenty of excitement in the past few weeks. We look forward to the next few months of continued activity as well as good cheer. As the summer approaches, there will be plenty more activity as we look to continue our efforts to make our next golf outing a huge success on September 11^th. I hope to see you and your friends at the outing!

Just four months until our golf tournament…

And while we don’t want to spill the beans on everything we are working on for the event, this auction item is too good NOT to tell.

The Philadelphia Eagles, champion FOKN supporters, have come through again!

They’ll donate an autographed item AND FOUR club level tickets (and parking) to the Eagles v. 49ers game on 10/29 at 1:00 pm.

Join us on September 11 to bid on this fantastic item!

More soon!

Happy Spring!

A quick reminder about our upcoming September 11 golf tournament.  

We are delighted to announce that we already have 16 golfers signed up, and another 20 in the works.

Please remember that we are capping the event at 120 golfers this year, and early birds get a discount.  

Find out more by clicking here. 

Can you help with auction items?

We are starting our auction item solicitation in earnest, and would be grateful for the assistance of anyone reading this.

We already have some fantastic items in hand — more on that as the event date approaches.   (One significant “reveal” — the Dunkin’ Donuts truck will be at the event again!)

But we seek your help and support once again.   

Do you have a favorite restaurant that might be willing to make a gift of a gift card or special occasion?  Do you have “backstage” access to any Delaware Valley area events?   Contacts with museums, sports, special events?

Please let us know if you can help!  Our experience with our local community has overwhelmed us with your generosity.    

Thank you, and happy spring!