“Our experience with Jef and Play for the A’s has truly been humbling. They remind us every day that we are not alone. They respect each caregiver and the life we are supporting.”
– Pat Deluca
For Pat Deluca, caregiving had been a full-time responsibility since her husband, John, was diagnosed with ALS, also known as Lou Gehrig’s disease, in 2017. As his condition progressed, he required round-the-clock care and could never be left alone. The emotional, physical, and financial demands became overwhelming. Yet through those challenges, Play for the A’s provided something Pat rarely had the opportunity to experience: time.
Through respite care, special outings, grocery deliveries during the COVID-19 pandemic, and additional caregiving support, Play for the A’s helped ease the burden. Most importantly, it reminded Pat that she and her family did not have to navigate their journey alone.
Pat’s story reflects the experience of countless caregivers whose own needs often take a back seat while caring for a loved one.
That reality inspired the creation of Play for the A’s.
A Son’s Tribute Becomes a Community Mission
The inspiration behind Play for the A’s was deeply personal.
In the early 2000s, Jef Hewlings’ mother, Shirley, was diagnosed with Alzheimer’s disease. Over the next nine years, Jef watched his father, Bing, devote himself to her care. He witnessed firsthand the sacrifices, exhaustion, and unwavering love that caregiving requires. Following Shirley’s passing in 2009, Jef began thinking about ways to support other families facing similar challenges.
In 2013, he founded Play for the A’s with the support of the Strath Haven High School Boys’ Lacrosse Team and the broader Panther lacrosse community. The program initially focused on raising awareness and funding for Alzheimer’s disease, directing approximately $20,000 to the Alzheimer’s Association during its first several years.
As the program evolved, Jef recognized an opportunity to make an even greater impact on local families.
In 2016, Play for the A’s partnered with The Community’s Foundation (TCF), allowing funds raised through the program to remain local and directly support caregivers and families in Delaware County. The partnership transformed Play for the A’s from an awareness campaign into a source of practical, personalized assistance for those navigating the challenges of caregiving.
The Gift of Time
At the heart of Play for the A’s was a simple but powerful idea: caregivers need care, too.
The program provided what Jef called the “Gift of Time,” giving caregivers a chance to step away from their responsibilities while knowing their loved one was safe and supported.
The impact of that support is best told by the families who experienced it.
Anita and Tom Moore
When Anita’s husband, Tom, was diagnosed with Primary Progressive Aphasia, caregiving became increasingly challenging. The isolation of the COVID-19 pandemic only added to those challenges.
“The pandemic made our lives lonely and difficult,” Anita shared. “Through the kindness of strangers, being able to get out of the house for more than groceries was kind of mind blowing.”
Through dining gift cards and later additional support, Play for the A’s helped Anita reconnect with her community during a particularly difficult period.
“It’s the little things,” she said. “I truly appreciate Jef Hewlings and his awesome program that benefits people like me.”
Pat and John DeLuca
Pat DeLuca spent years caring for her husband, John, after he was diagnosed with ALS, also known as Lou Gehrig’s disease, in 2017. As his condition progressed, he required round-the-clock care and could never be left alone.
Play for the A’s provided respite care, outings with her daughter, grocery deliveries during the pandemic, and additional caregiving support as John’s needs increased.
“The stress of worrying who will sit with John as I deal with some medical issues that require my absence for appointments has been eased.”
Reflecting on the program’s impact, Pat shared:
“They remind us every day that we are not alone. They respect each caregiver and the life we are supporting.”
Donna and Damon Oliver
For Donna and Damon Oliver, caregiving brought emotional and financial strain. As Damon’s health needs increased, Donna struggled to balance work, caregiving responsibilities, medical appointments, and household expenses.
When Play for the A’s stepped in, the support brought much-needed relief.
“You saved us from losing insurance and utilities.”
Reflecting on the impact, Donna wrote:
“I slept like a rock last night knowing we have a chance to breathe… without that panic in our throats.”
She later added:
“Trying to handle everything really gets overwhelming… You have helped us so many times and often when I was losing hope that I could keep it all going.”
A Community That Shows Up
As Play for the A’s evolved, so did the community that rallied around it.
What began in 2013 as a lacrosse fundraiser grew into a network of volunteers, students, donors, and community members united by a common goal: supporting caregivers.
The support took many forms. Through TCF’s administration of the fund, caregivers received respite care, gift cards, help with household expenses, and assistance designed to give them a much needed break from the demands of caregiving. Volunteers also stepped up to meet practical needs, helping with errands, creating sensory items for patients, and supporting fundraising efforts.
During the COVID-19 pandemic that community spirit became even more evident. Student athletes from the Strath Haven and Garnet Valley boys’ lacrosse teams purchased and delivered groceries directly to families caring for loved ones with dementia and Alzheimer’s disease. For many caregivers who were isolated at home, those deliveries provided both practical support and a reminder that their community had not forgotten them.
Community members found other ways to help. Volunteer Tina Beldman created fidget blankets, lap blankets, and other sensory tools for hospice and nursing home residents. Through Play for the A’s and TCF, she received assistance with supplies, so she could continue creating items that brought comfort and engagement to patients.
The spirit of service inspired younger generations as well. In 2020, Strath Haven students Walter Clauss and Charlie Dawes launched Ride for the A’s, a 1,400-mile cycling journey from Pennsylvania to Key West to raise funds for local caregivers. Their effort reflected the same values that had guided Play for the A’s from the beginning: compassion, service, and neighbors helping neighbors.
Over time, Play for the A’s became more than a fundraiser. It evolved into a community ecosystem of caregivers, volunteers, students, donors, and supporters, each contributingin their own way to lighten the burden for local families.
The Role of The Community’s Foundation
Since 2016, The Community’s Foundation (TCF) has helped Play for the A’s transform community generosity into tangible support for local caregivers. By providing the charitable infrastructure behind the fund, TCF enabled families to receive personalized assistance while volunteers and donors focused on making a difference.
A Lasting Legacy
From 2013 through its final years of operation, Play for the A’s raised more than $143,000 and helped countless families navigate the challenges of caring for loved ones with Alzheimer’s disease, dementia, ALS, and other progressive conditions. While the fund is no longer active, its impact lives on through the caregivers it supported, the volunteers it inspired, and the enduring reminder that no one should have to navigate caregiving alone.
Perhaps most importantly, the program reminded caregivers that they were seen, valued, and supported.
As Pat Deluca reflected:
“They remind us every day that we are not alone.”
For more than a decade, Play for the A’s demonstrated what is possible when a community comes together around a shared purpose. Its impact continues through the lives it touched and the example it set for compassion, service, and local philanthropy.
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