Carnival a hit with fans By CHUCK GORMLEY (Courier-Post Staff)
An estimated 8,000 fans attended the Flyers' Wives Fight For Lives Carnival on Sunday at the Wachovia Center, but no one left happier than Lisa Nelson of Moorestown, who won a 2009 team-autographed Harley Davidson donated by Barb's Harley of West Collingswood.
The Flyers' biggest annual fundraiser drew a larger crowd than Comcast-Spectacor senior vice president Mary Ann Saleski expected, especially since it was held about a month earlier than normal because of this year's Winter Olympic break.
"We are thrilled," said Saleski, the wife of former Flyer Don Saleski. "We kind of wondered about having it this early, but obviously everybody is coming in out of the cold and having a great time. The Flyers wives are having a great time and so are the players. How could you not? Everybody is happy."
Of course, putting a poor December behind them with a current 7-1-1 stretch helped keep Sunday's atmosphere festive
"It is a great event," Flyers coach Peter Laviollete said of his first Carnival. "You get the fans in the building, the players in the building and you raise money for a great cause. Anytime you can to that it is a good day."
In 32 years, the Carnival has raised more than $22 million and has become a model for other professional sports fund raisers. Flyers defenseman Chris Pronger and his wife, Lauren, had heard stories about the magnitude of the Carnival but were overwhelmed by it nonetheless.
"This is a fabulous event," said Lauren Pronger. "It is much bigger, exciting and grander than I ever anticipated. This is unlike any event I have ever been a part of. This is pretty impressive and it really is for a great cause." Her husband agreed. "This is not only a chance for us to connect with the fans and get out in the community, but also raise some well-needed funds for charities that are going to do some good with it and help out the less fortunate."
