From left, Flyers Charities Executive Director Cindy Statman, Lily Walters, Gritti, Natalie Van Drough, player Garnet Hathaway and Flyers Charities board member Barry Hanrahan present an oversized check for $200,000 to help repair and renovate the ball hockey rink at New Hanover Community Park. (Photo courtesy of the Philadelphia Flyers)
NEW HANOVER — What started as a dream to save a beloved but damaged deck hockey rink for two 11-year-old girls has become a reality thanks to a $200,000 donation from the Philadelphia Flyers.
Flyers Charities announced a donation Wednesday to support the efforts of Natalie Van Drough and Lily Walter to preserve a local ball hockey rink. As a result of the funding, the proposal to preserve the rink at New Hanover Community Park was formally approved last month by the New Hanover Township Board of Supervisors with the support of the Pottstown Area Health and Wellness Foundation.
The rink's revitalization will begin by the end of the month, with Flyers Charities and New Hanover Township planning to hold a grand opening event on Wednesday, Aug. 7, at the township's Community Park, 2798 Gayle Drive in Gilbertville.
Before they could begin the campaign to renovate the court, they had to protect it from bulldozers.
In November, they rallied fellow players, parents and coaches from Boyertown Ice Hockey, Pottstown Jesters Travel Ball Hockey and Pottstown PAL Deck Hockey to thwart the town's plans to demolish the rink and replace it with another pickleball court, and they have since lobbied to have the rink repaired.
“When we learned about Lily and Natalie's incredible efforts to preserve a beloved ball hockey rink for local residents, we made a clear decision to support them,” said Blair Ristino, president of Flyers Charities. “One of our main pillars is the promotion of hockey, and their determination to make a difference exemplifies that. With this donation, we are pleased to help them create a space that will foster a passion for the sport and inspire others in their neighborhood to get excited about hockey.”
Earlier this month, Natalie and Lily paid a special visit to the Flyers Training Center in Voorhees, New Jersey, where Flyers forward Garnet Hathaway and Gritti surprised the couple with the news of a donation to support Flyers Charities' ongoing mission. Hathaway and Gritti presented the couple with a check for $200,000, then gifted them Flyers merchandise and posed for photos.
“The experience has been truly amazing and words cannot describe the feelings I have when I think back on it,” said Natalie Van Druff. “We are so grateful that the town approved our dream hockey home proposal and we would also like to thank Flyers Charities for donating $200,000 to make it a reality. We never thought we would end up building a hockey rink for our favorite team!”
“Thank you to everyone at Flyers Charities for helping me and Natalie make our hockey home the safest and coolest deck ever!” said Lily Walter.
“We are beyond words grateful for Flyers Charities' incredible generosity and support for this timeless and irreplaceable gift,” said Natalie's mother, Kate Van Drough. “And to have our favorite hockey team, the Philadelphia Flyers, support us is truly a dream come true. I keep saying the word 'dream', but how could it not be a dream? Imagine having this kind of life when you're 11 years old. As a mother watching it all, it's truly surreal.”
Flyers Charities' donation will help the town renovate the rink, which was originally a dangerous patch of asphalt surrounded by a chain-link fence, to create a safe, functioning ball hockey rink where young athletes like Van Druff and Walter can continue to meet with friends and hockey skills.
The donation will help pay for the installation of new flooring and boards, the construction of benches and penalty boxes, and the provision of new hockey nets.
“On behalf of the Board of Supervisors, we are incredibly proud of these girls and deeply grateful that Flyers Charities, the Philadelphia Flyers and the Pottstown Health and Wellness Foundation have partnered to make this vision a reality,” said New Hanover Township Manager Jamie Gwinn. “We hope this moment serves as a powerful reminder for our young people that it's never too early to make a positive difference in their community.”
“We are grateful to Natalie and Lily, two inspirational young people who have used their love of hockey to speak out and seize the opportunity to take action to promote the sport of hockey to others in our community,” said Dave Kraybill, president of the Pottstown Area Health and Wellness Foundation.
“The Pottstown Area Health and Wellness Foundation is honored to work with Natalie and Lily and their family, Fryers Charities and New Hanover Township to accept this donation on their behalf for such a worthy project that will benefit our community for years to come,” Kraybill said.
As part of Flyers Charities’ efforts to promote the game of hockey, the rebuild of the rink in New Hanover is one of many reconstruction projects that Flyers Charities has completed to continue providing an accessible entrance to the game of hockey.
Since relaunching in 2021, Flyers Charities has helped revitalize local rinks and promoted hockey in the greater Philadelphia area, donating $700,000.
