In early March, Flyers Charities, Michael’s Way, and a group of Flyers players and their wives welcomed Joyce and Ronda Burns to their newly renovated home, marking the completion of the 2025 Building Hope for Kids initiative. Over the span of six weeks, the organizations partnered with Fastrack Construction and Ashley Furniture to completely renovate the home from top to bottom, with a focus on creating a spacious and comfortable home where Ronda – an eight-year-old Philadelphian fighting leukemia – and her family can play and relax as treatment continues.
“We’re incredibly grateful to Michael’s Way, St. Christopher’s Hospital for Children (where Ronda is being treated), Flyers Charities, and the Flyers wives for their hard work to make our dream house a reality,” said Joyce Burns, mother of Ronda Burns. “Cancer affects millions of Americans in different ways, and we feel blessed that in this difficult time, our home can be a place of comfort and community.”
In tandem with the project’s completion, the Today Show released a segment that provides insights into the collaborative effort to recreate the Burns’ family home, including exclusive interviews with Ronda, Joyce, the Flyers wives, and Flyers Charities President and Flyers Alternate Governor, Blair Listino. Additionally, On the Fly Productions, the Flyers in-house content team, plan to release a full documentary – Hope Lives Here: A Flyers Charities Story – this afternoon. The documentary will provide an extensive look into the project, highlighting family and friends who have stood by Ronda’s side throughout her cancer journey, and feature the emotional climax of the house reveal.
“Seeing the joy on Ronda and Joyce’s faces as they stepped into their new home proves that this project isn’t just about new walls and furniture, it’s about creating a space where a family can focus on what truly matters – love, recovery, and time together,” said Blair Listino, President of Flyers Charities and Flyers Alternate Governor. “The Today Show feature, and On the Fly Production’s incredible film, captures these emotions completely and conveys the hope and love that can persist even in difficult times.”
HOUSE RENOVATIONS
Since late January, the organizations alongside Fastrack Construction and Ashley Furniture worked together to complete the renovation. Fastrack lead construction efforts, while Ashley Furniture provided modern, new, and lasting furniture throughout the home. The Flyers wives lead design work, laying out and refining each room to fit the family’s needs and tastes.
“In just a few weeks, we transformed the house from the studs up – addressing structural concerns and more – to create a clean, secure space with hope and love,” said Chris McElwee, Founder of Michael's Way and President of Fastrack Construction. “This project is a true testament to the power of community and compassion, and it was incredible to see so many different people and organizations come together to support a family in need.”
“Ashley Furniture is honored to have played a role in transforming the Burns' family home into a place of warmth and comfort,” said Tara A. Kelly, Director of Marketing and Advertising, Regency Furniture. “Home should be a sanctuary, especially for families facing unimaginable challenges. Partnering with Flyers Charities to furnish a space where Ronda and her family can find peace and healing is a privilege that truly embodies the power of community.”
