BEN Around Philly airs every Saturday morning at 7am on 95.7 BEN-FM and is sponsored by The Fillmore Philadelphia.

On this episode, Kristen speaks Erin Coombs of the Edward Taylor Coombs Foundation about their upcoming golf outing on July 24th,  Gillian Kocher – the PSPCA’s Director of Public Relations and Marketing speaks with Matt and Kristen about the PSPCA’s 150th Anniversary Celebration, and Eastern State Penitentiary’s Amy Hollaman gives the details on the 2017 Bastille Day Festival.

Erin Coombs joins Kristen in studio to talk about the non-profit organization that she and her parents created in an effort to honor her late brother Edward Taylor Coombs. Erin is an incredible young woman who has taken the great loss of her brother and worked toward an incredibly positive outcome, educating young people about the dangers of drinking and driving, distracted driving, and about other important issues like consent. The Edward Taylor Coombs Foundation has also granted more than $300,000 in scholarships to young men and women in Edward’s honor. Join Erin and the Edward Taylor Coombs Foundation at their 6th Annual Golf Outing and Scholarship Award Dinner, the organization’s biggest fundraiser, on July 24th at Commonwealth National Golf Club in Horsham. Find more information and purchase tickets HERE.

Listen as Gillian Kocher – the PSPCA’s Director of Public Relations and Marketing joins Matt and Kristen on the BEN-FM Morning Show to share news about the PSPCA’s 150th Anniversary. The Pennsylvania SPCA has been rescuing animals for 150 years. To celebrate, they are inviting you to share your rescue story. Whether you adopted an animal from the PSPCA,  your pet rescued you, or you just want to share your rescue story – they’d like to hear from you! Send in your story HERE. The PSPCA will be featuring rescue stories (possibly YOURS) all year, in celebration of 150 life-saving years. Learn more about the PSPCA and its life saving mission HERE.

Also, be sure to check out this great PSPCA fundraiser with Philadelphia Phillies catcher Cameron Rupp.  The first annual Ruppapalooza at the Pier on Thursday, July 27, 2017 from 6-9pm at Morgan’s Pier, 221 N Christopher Columbus Blvd, Philadelphia, PA .The evening will feature Phillies Celebrity Bartenders, an appearance by the Phillie Phanatic, adoptable dogs, raffles, games, music and more, and will benefit the Pennsylvania SPCA’s life-saving mission. To add a country flare, Rupp has invited one of Nashville’s hottest songwriters, Tyler Reeve, to perform a small set. A $35 general admission ticket will provide one free drink, and baseball fare.  Buy tickets HERE.

Then Kristen speaks with return guest Amy Hollaman, Associate Director of Events and Operations at Eastern State Penitentiary about the 23rd Annual Bastille Day celebration – Saturday, July 15th at Eastern State Penitentiary in the Fairmount neighborhood. One of the most notorious Bastille Day celebrations in the world, Philadelphia’s version of Bastille Day features a a live theatrical storming of the Bastille, Marie Antoinette, a guillotine, the Bearded Ladies Cabaret, Tastykakes, delicious food, drinks, music and more. What the festival may lack in historical accuracy, it makes up for in FUN. Dress up and join in – Saturday, July 15th – beginning with the French Family Carnival at 2pm. All of the details can be found HERE.