Six days before Christmas is crunch time for most to get last minute holiday shopping complete. It was a perfect time during the holiday season for Garrett Snider, the grandson of Comcast Spectacor Chairman Ed Snider, to partner with Saks Fifth Avenue for a charity shopping event to benefit a great cause.

At just 16 years of age, Garrett Snider has been heavily involved in helping charitable causes for much of his childhood. When Saks Fifth Avenue approach Snider about this event, he was passionate about the proceeds going to a worthy cause that has been so important to his grandfather, and one that’s mission so closely aligns with his goal of empowering others.

Flyers Head Coach Peter Laviolette and Flyers Alumni Bernie Parent, Joe Watson and Bob ‘The Hound’ Kelly joined the Snider family in a supporting this special event to raise funds for the Ed Snider Youth Hockey Foundation.

SHOP FOR A CAUSE

Click on the photo for a full gallery of the night's event.

Saks Fifth Avenue and Snider welcomed shoppers from 6 to 8 pm on December 19th to enjoy holiday shopping, cocktails and hors d’oeuvres. With over 100 RSVPs for the event, many of which made generous donations at the door, patrons mingled with Flyers Alumni and finished up shopping for the holidays with a portion of each transaction being donated to a cause near and dear to the Snider Family, the Ed Snider Youth Hockey Foundation.

Ed Snider was pleased with all the work his grandson put into this event. “This is a wonderful event and I am very proud because my grandson Garrett put this whole thing together. The turnout is amazing…all are shopping, all are having fun which is wonderful,” says Snider as the event was coming to an end.

Snider Hockey had a big year in 2012 when it finished the renovations and refurbishment of the fourth city rink as part of a $13 million restoration project in partnership with the City of Philadelphia.

Snider Hockey’s President Scott Tharp recaps the incredible achievements in the community. “We have had a big two years. In the last two years, we have been able to refurbish four of the Philadelphia inner city ice rinks. We added classrooms that are now enclosed for all around use. We have state-of-the art computer rooms that support our academic programs and our enrollment has gone through the roof.”

The program operates 11 sites in the Greater Philadelphia area and nearby Camden, New Jersey and currently serves 3,000 boys and girls. Children are provided services, including equipment, coaching, and tutoring, at no cost.

When asked to reflect on the work of the Foundation, Snider says we have a lot be excited for in the future. “We feel that Snider Hockey is growing constantly. We have inner city kids, tough neighborhoods and these kids are doing great in school, graduating, and either going to college, community college or technical college. It’s just wonderful to see.”

There was a great turnout for the event and the proceeds will go to good use. “It is all going directly into our programming for the many children that we serve,” says Tharp. “We appreciate events like this that help brand us and get the word out of what we do. It’s an example of the good things that happen when good people come together behind a good cause. “

“I am very happy to see this all come together,” Garrett says. “My grandfather does inspiring and it’s a very worthy cause and I am proud that I get to support it.”

There are many ways to help support this worthy cause. For more information on supporting the Foundation and its mission, please click here.