On Thursday, October 20 Eluna hosted their 9th annual Champions for Children event at the Ballroom at the Ben. Eluna which is a national nonprofit founded by former Phillies pitcher Jamie Moyer and Karen Phelps Moyer serves children and families impacted by grief and addiction. In attendance were Eluna board members, committee members, campers, volunteers and celebrities.
During the event, Eluna recognized mental health ambassador and chair of the Global Campaign on Mental Health at Johnson & Johnson Company, Craig Kramer with this year’s Champion for Children award for his fierce advocacy in the areas of grief and addiction. The program also recognized honorees, Jennifer Lewis-Hall PHL 17 with the Media Partner award and Susan Barber, RN with the Eluna Resiliency award and announced the recipients of its educational scholarship program for campers and alumni.
Special guests included Mary Fitzgerald, Chief Executive Officer of Eluna, along with community advocates:
• Lou Nolan, Philadelphia Flyers Announcer
• Joe and Jimmy Watson, Flyers Alumni
• Ray Didinger, Philadelphia Sports Hall of Fame Sportswriter
• Don DiJulia, St. Joseph’s University Athletics Hall of Fame member, Special Assistant to the President and former Director of Athletics at St. Joseph’s University
• Karen Phelps Moyer, Eluna Co-Founder
• Joan Galon King, Vice President of Advancement for Eluna
• Eluna’s Camp Erin and Camp Mariposa Campers and Alumni.
In the end it was a wonderful evening to bring everyone together and celebrate the power of community as Eluna raised more than $200k served over 44,000 campers, 900 families nationally and continues to raise awareness of childhood bereavement, the importance of addiction prevention and the growing need for mental health support.
Photos by Maggie Corcoran
