A Message from David
I like to start this season re-cap with a Happy New Year to everyone. Another football season has ended and once again I have to say thank you to all the Eagles
fans for their continued support.
We also had a busy Kicks for Kids season that started with our partnership with our local Papa John’s Pizza Franchise and their anytime combo promotion that a
portion of sales went to Kicks for Kids. I would like to thank Eric Danver for all his efforts. We hope to continue this partnership for next season and eat more
pizza! The Field of Dreams Program once again sent several patients and their families from The Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia to Eagles home games in a limo.
They all received Eagles merchandise and field passes to say hello to me before the game. I enjoy it as much as the kids do.
This year’s Wine Dinner in November was another great night with Viva Vinos Wines. We had special guest Pat Croce attend this year and Joe Conklin entertained our
guests with his comedy. We also donated a check for $10,000 to The Little Rock Foundation.
I was honored to attend The Ravitz Family ShopRite Holiday Dinner where they presented Kicks for Kids with a check for $10,000. All the support we receive helps us
continue our mission to help children and their families in need. This holiday season we were able to purchase gift cards to Sears, Target and Shop Rite to help
families who are struggling, once again the need has increased from previous years so I am grateful for everyone’s continued support.
Without you all I would not be able to accomplish my mission of helping others. I also need to thank my teammates for supporting my efforts especially Jon Dorenbos.
Jon has become an important part of our Kicks for Kids family and we appreciate all he has done for us, thanks Magic Man!
I hope to see everyone at our annual Kicking in Spring night at Cescaphe on June 2, 2010!
God Bless,
David
Ravitz Family Foundation
The Ravitz Family Shoprite held it’s 9th annual golf outing at Pine Hill in June with over 129 golfers playing to support the Ravitz Family Foundation that does so much good work in the community. Each year a local group is the recipient of some of the proceeds of that day and this year David Akers Kicks for Kids was very grateful to receive a $10,000 check presented by the Ravitz Family at their annual holiday dinner on Dec. 17, 2009.
David Akers Named To Sporting News All-Pro Team
In the next few weeks a number of individual honors will be bestowed upon members of the Eagles and on Tuesday kicker David Akers was named to the Sporting News' All-Pro team for the 2009 season. Continue reading >>
Green Akers
K David Akers played in his 160th game as an Eagle, passing Randy Logan for fifth place in team history. He connected on four PATs and now has 366 for his career, passing Bobby Walston (365) for the most in team history. He is now the franchise’s all-time leader in field goals (236), PATs (366) and points (1,074).
Giving Back at CHOP
A check for $125,000 was presented to The Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia from David Akers Kicks for Kids Foundation to support the David’s Locker program at the hospital. David then went to some rooms to visit the children with Eagles hats and pictures to give away.
Here are some images from David’s visit:
A Message From David
Our 4th Annual David Akers Kicking in Spring event at Cescaphe Ballroom on June 3rd was another success and absolutely amazing night. I have to thank Lincoln Financial Group for being our presenting sponsor and great supporter of our foundation and to Jim Calla for chairing the event.
I know you were just as entertained and amazed as I was at the magic showed performed by my friend and teammate Jon Dorenbos who has become a part of our Kicks for Kids family.
I am so grateful to everyone who came that evening and your support is truly appreciated especially in these difficult financial times and thanks to you we can continue our programs at The Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia.
Please see a short fun video of the night below. Hope to see you next year!
God Bless,
David
A message from David
I want to sincerely thank everyone again for all the support during our 2008 season.
Kicks for Kids was able to do great things for the children and their families who need our support. The Field of Dreams program was especially successful this year since we were able to send 6 families to several home Eagles games via limo that was filled with Eagles merchandise and field passes. The families I met were so happy to enjoy a day together away from the hospital and watch the game.
Our contribution to David's Locker at The Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia this year was $70,000 and thanks to Jon Dorenbos performing an amazing magic show in November we are able to donate $10,000 to The Cancer Survivors Fund. I am lucky to have such great teammates who also donate their time to help Kicks for Kids achieve our goal to help those in need. Our website has been redesigned and hope everyone continues to check back for updates on events and news.
I cannot thank my board and sponsors enough for their dedication to the foundation, we need your support to continue to grow in 2009 to make a difference in a child’s life.
Wine Dinner at the Cescaphé Ballroom
Once again the Wine Dinner at Cescaphe Ballroom was a huge success. Guests enjoyed a seven course meal and wine tasting. Special thanks to David’s team mates Stewart Bradley, Brent Celek and Trevor Laws for coming out and supporting the foundation. All monies raised at this event help fund The Little Rock Foundation Resource Center for the Blind and Visually Impaired at The Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia. This year we presented the resource center with a $15,000 donation.
Akers’ Efforts Go the Distance
For years, Philadelphia Eagles’ fans have trusted the left foot of kicker David Akers in the final seconds of close games. But with something more important on the line, Akers couldn't rely on his kicking ability. Instead, he had to put his faith in the staff at the Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia. After his son was treated for a serious illness, Akers committed himself to giving back to the Children’s Hospital.
On Christmas Day of 2004, Akers’ two-and-a-half-year-old son Luke suddenly became ill. After two trips to a local hospital, doctors could not diagnose the problem.
“They really didn’t have any clue at that point,” Akers said. “So about four in the morning, I took him down to Children’s Hospital. As soon as I brought him in, they said, ‘It’s cellulitis and there’s got to be more to it.’”
The doctors at Children’s Hospital soon found a MRSA staff infection and kept Luke in their care for a week, running scans and various tests to make sure that the infection did not spread. Akers, whose Eagles had already locked up home-field advantage for the 2004-2005 playoffs, was able to balance being a professional football player and having his son in the hospital because of the care given at Children’s Hospital.
“The great point of this story is that because of the amazing child life specialists and the doctors keeping us abreast of what was going on and taking us through it, we were able to do some cool things,” Akers said.
The Eagles went all the way to the Super Bowl that year, and Akers was a perfect 4-of-4 on field goals in the playoffs. Akers was in the midst of streak that he would eventually extend to an NFL-record 19 consecutive playoff field goals made. However, the most lasting impact from the 2004 holiday season came from Akers’ commitment to the Children’s Hospital.
The Louisville product had founded David Akers' Kicks for Kids three years prior as a charity with, according to Akers, “a very broad mission to help kids pursue their dreams.” Part of helping kids already involved the Children’s Hospital— Akers read to the patients less than a week before bringing his son in for treatment — but after his personal experience with his son, he has since devoted most of his charitable efforts toward the hospital.
“Once I spent a lot of time at Children’s, it changed my idea,” Akers said. “My wife and I specifically came up with two different programs to work with Children’s Hospital. Having my son in the hospital was so scary, but the calmness of the doctors, the way they were able to help you through everything, opened the door for us to say, ‘Let’s try to work here.’”
The first program Akers developed was David’s Locker, a resource center that helps families with children in the hospital. The other program is Field of Dreams, which grants the wishes of chronically ill children. Akers loves to tell stories about children who have benefitted from the program, like the girl who, after originally asking to go on a cruise with her family, decided she wanted to have something her siblings could always enjoy.
“She said she wanted something a little bit more life-lasting so we finished off her basement,” Akers explained. “We got a bunch of fun things for her siblings and her down there before she eventually passed away. There have been a couple of really touching stories through David’s Locker.”
While the money Akers raises through events like his annual “Kicking in Spring” auction are necessary to fund Kicks for Kids, it is the interaction with children that Akers finds most rewarding.
“A lot of the Mondays and Tuesdays during the season I try to get out to the Children’s Hospitals,” Akers said. “It’s truly amazing the people that you meet there.”
Akers, who ranks first in Eagles’ history in points scored and is Philadelphia’s third-longest tenured pro athlete, feels that being a football star offers him a unique opportunity to affect children.
“I think we’re all called to serve,” the three-time Pro Bowler said, “but the on-field performance enhances the children’s smiles.”
Akers likes to tell the story about how he and Eagles’ long snapper John Dorenbos once visited a girl battling depression. The two were able to get her out of bed for the first time in weeks, much to the astonishment of her family and doctors.
“John does a couple of magic tricks, and she comes out to give him a hug,” Akers said. “So John, who’s always on stage, starts singing to her and dancing with her in the hallway. Her grandmother was crying.
“It’s not about the money you give to someone; it’s about the time you spend with her.”
While all the children enjoy meeting a football player, Akers is equally inspired by them.
“People say football players are tough, but you see a nine year old battling through cancer and you see the smile that comes on his face just because his local team’s player comes in — that’s a true fighter. That’s a warrior,” Akers said. “They say thanks so much for coming, but you know what that kid just did for me? It’s really a two-way street.”
Devon Hill BMW raises money for David Akers Kicks for Kids
During the 2007 Season Devon Hill BMW pledged $300 for every field goal made by David to David Akers Kicks for Kids. David made 24 field goals bringing the total donation to $7200 for the 2007 Season. Once again Devon Hill BMW will be continuing their program donating $300 for every field goal made to our programs at The Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia this 2008 Philadelphia Eagles Season. Go Birds!!
“Owners Cortie Wetherill and his daughter Amanda have been wonderful supporters of our efforts to continue to help those families who are in need of assistance and I am very appreciative that once again Devon Hill will be our partner.” David Akers
3rd Annual David Akers Kicking in Spring
The 3rd Annual David Akers Kicking in Spring was a sold out success. This year 350 arrived at Cescaphe Ballroom to enjoy an evening of magic performed by Eagles Long Snapper Jon Dorenbos. Great auction items as 52" plasma TV donated Tweeter Entertainment, front row tickets to Tom Petty Concert, Robert Plant and Kenny Chesney donated by Wanamaker tickets and $1,000 gift card to the Piers at Ceasars from Gordon Holdings made it an exciting auction. David’s current and former teammates along with the Philadelphia Soul Players came out to support the event. Thank you to all who attended, your support goes directly to David’s programs at The Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia.
David & fans
David & Nova Care Guests
Punter Sav Rocca, Soul Quarterback Matt D’Orazio, Long Snapper Jon Dorenbos
David, Janis Powell. Jim Calla
Prudential Fox Realtors in Marlton, N.J. donates $21,000
David Akers accepted a check for $21,000 from Val Nunnenkamp of Prudential Fox Realtors in Marlton, N.J. on behalf of David Akers' Kicks For Kids effort.
Nunnenkamp hosted a fund-raising event in December with a live auction and raffle to benefit David's Kicks for Kids program "David's Locker" at The Children's Hospital of Philadelphia. "David's Locker" provides resources for families in need who have children being treated at the hospital for chronic illnesses. In addition, Kicks for Kids impacts The Little Rock Resource Center at CHOP, which funds programs to help the blind and visually impaired.
Val Presents $21,000 check to David
David & the Val Nunnenkamp Team
David Akers' Kicks for Kids 2007 Field of Dreams
Chad just thought of one thing while he was in The Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia recuperating from his brain operation and that was Philadelphia Eagles Football. So when he got the call from David to invite him up to Lehigh for training camp Chad couldn’t believe this dream was coming true and he got to meet so many of the players he watched and cheered for each week. The Field of Dreams Program grants a dream request to a child being treated at The Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia and Chad and his family were able to come to Philadelphia and stay overnight at the Hyatt Penn’s Landing and picked up by a stretch hummer to go to the Eagles game and get on the field for pre-game practice.
The Limo Ride to the Eagles game
David & Chad
Donovan & Chad
Sides Media Studio.