What: The Philly POPS and Amazon — with support from L’Oreal, The Bellevue, the Philadelphia Police Department, and Garces Events — have partnered to build 185 new bicycles, parade them down Broad Street, and give them to local children from military families on the first weekend of the Christmas season.
Immediately preceding the annual benefit concert I’ll Be Home for Christmas: A Salute to the Military and First Responders, Amazon and the Philly POPS will present 185 children of active duty military, all serving nearby at Joint Base McGuire-Dix-Lakehurst in New Jersey, with brand new bicycles and helmets in the Kimmel Center lobby.
Garces Events will be on hand with cookies and cocoa for the children. Santa and Mrs. Claus and Victorian Carolers will help set the festive scene in the lobby.
The children and their families will then attend the show in Verizon Hall.
Amazon team members (with help from Atlas Home Service Team, LLC and Tri-State Delivery and Assembly) will assemble bikes the day before the giveaway event at the The Bellevue, which has donated the space for this project. The POPS, Amazon, Bellevue and Sporting Club at the Bellevue employees will then parade the bikes down Broad Street to the Kimmel Center, with an escort from the Philadelphia Police Department. The Philly POPS Festival Brass will greet the parade with holiday fanfare outside of the Kimmel Center.
These events kick off Philadelphia’s favorite holiday show: A Philly POPS Christmas: Spectacular Sounds of the Season which continues through December with ten shows.
More information: http://phillypops.org/ways-support/salute-series/amazon-ill-be-home-christmas-bike-giveaway
When / Where:
Thursday, December 1, 2016
6am-2pm
Bicycle assembly at the temporarily-unoccupied Palm restaurant space at The Bellevue
224 S Broad St, Philadelphia
2:30pm
Bikes depart from the Broad Street entrance of the Bellevue
2:45pm ** Bike Parade from the Bellevue to the Kimmel Center **
One lane of Broad Street will be closed by the Philadelphia Police Department.
Police motorcycle escort will lead the parade along with:
POPS President and CEO Frank Giordano, Amazon’s Anne Laughlin, Bellevue General Manager David Walsh, Philadelphia Police Department Deputy Commissioner Christine Coulter.
Employees from Amazon, The Bellevue and Sporting Club at the Bellevue, POPS, and police officers will roll bikes down Broad Street to the Kimmel Center.
Philly POPS Festival Brass greets parade with holiday fanfare outside of the Kimmel Center.
Friday, December 2, 2016
Kimmel Center, 300 S Broad St, Philadelphia
7pm ** Bike Giveaway **
Ceremony featuring Philly POPS CEO Frank Giordano; Brian Jones, Fulfillment Center General Manager, Amazon; City Representative Sheila Hess. Garces Events will provide cocoa and cookies.
Plaza Stage, Kimmel Center lobby
7:15pm
Children and families find and test out their new bikes and helmets
Kimmel Center lobby
7:30pm
Families proceed to Verizon Hall to be seated for I’ll Be Home for Christmas: A Salute to the Military and First Responders.
About the Salute Series
The Philly POPS Salute Series recognizes those who dedicate themselves to a life of service and commitment by celebrating their service on holidays of American tradition. Since the First Annual I’ll Be Home for Christmas concert in 2014, the Salute Series has grown to include concerts on Memorial Day weekend, during Independence Week on July 3 and July 4, and Veterans Day. Over 50,000 people are expected to attend Salute Series events in 2016-17 — the largest audience of any Philly POPS concert series.
Amazon’s Joining Forces Pledge
Earlier this year, Amazon pledged to hire 25,000 veterans and military spouses over the next five years. We recognize their exceptional leadership skills, knowledge and experience and know that these qualities are well suited for our fulfillment network nationwide. The company is committed to supporting the men and women of our military. This week’s bike giveaway is one of many ways in which Amazon can show our support and appreciation for all that they do for our country.