The Weekly Newspaper of Manhattan Beach Herald Publications - El Segundo, Manhattan Beach, Hawthorne, Lawndale, & Inglewood Community Newspapers Since 1911 - Circulation 30,000 - Readership 60,000 (310) 322-1830 Vol. 6, No. 3 February 28, 2013 Inside Record Fundraising AchievementsMB Education Foundation Celebrates This Issue Calendar...............................2 Classifieds ...........................2 Food...............................4 & 5 People ..................................2 Police Reports....................2 Politically Speaking...........3 Manhattan Beach Education Foundation received a $71,000 check from the fundraising efforts of the SKECHERS Pier to Pier Friendship Walk. Photo courtesy of Justin Dietterick / SKECHERS. Valentines Specials...........7 ED Foundation Receives Generous Donation from SKECHERS Pier to Pier Walk By Cristian Vasquez us to keep programs that kids would have that is supporting your company or buying Through the fundraising efforts of the to go without.” your products you need to give back. Without SKECHERS Pier to Pier Friendship Walk, The annual SKECHERS Pier to Pier Walk the consumers’ support, we would have no the Manhattan Beach Education Foundation gathers people with the purpose of supporting company. Whether it is in the community received a $71,000 check on February 26 children with special needs and in special or inside of SKECHERS, we feel wonderful during the reception. education and is organized in partnership with when we give back. It is a great feeling. It The SKECHERS Pier to Pier Walk is The Friendship Circle, which is dedicated to surely fills you up.” direct result of the partnership and longtime providing companionship and happiness to Establishing such partnerships between friendship between Yossi Mintz, founder and children and young adults with special needs corporations, education and the community executive director of the Friendship Circle’s by emphasizing uniqueness and individuality. has allowed the quality of education in Weekend Michael Greenberg, President of SKECHERS. all here helping kids with special needs strong.“Our community is very unique in thatcommunities like Manhattan Beach to remain“What we are excited about most is themission of what is going on here--we areThis social, fundraising event has steadilySouth Bay chapter in Redondo Beach, and Forecast activities. By 2012 there were 8,000 walking. Beach Superintendent Mike Matthews said. as a terrific relationship with our schoolwe have so much parent involvement andreally fantastic parent organizations, as well“It is very rare to have everyoneand we are excited to do it,” Manhattangrown since it began in 2008 when 1,700people arrived to walk and participate in the “First off, this has grown over the last four board, our administration and our teachers,” working together on a common years and for 2013 we are striving to beat Warshaw said. Friday that number,” Greenberg said. goal and with a common “It is very rare to have everybody working Sunny are bringing children that have no disabilities common purpose. It is really about everytogether on a common goal and with apurpose.”“What this means to me personally is that we 79˚/55˚ together with children with special needs and “The Friendship Circle and SKECHERS single parent getting involved and thinking when I see those children interact with one are changing lives and we are a part of that that education is critical, as well as having another, it is so rewarding that it touches my and we are very excited about it. On top an administration and a school board that heart and it touches everybody’s heart that is of that, the fundraising efforts support our feel the exact same way. They are very Saturday year we were a little bit harder and we strive foundation, our programs for our students get to do it together.”professional, very hard-working and we alleducation foundation. Without our educationinvolved. I think that is the reason why each Partly to give away more and more to support the would be drastically reduced. It is a great The collaboration between corporations, the education foundations and the children with thing for us.” Education Foundation, school administrators Cloudy special needs. It has just been a wonderful For Greenberg and SKECHERS, the and parents has allowed Manhattan Beach 79˚/59˚ journey and I hope that it continues.” presence of corporations in their community schools to continue to academically thrive The money generated by the event is should be felt through more than just marketing despite State budget cuts. divided between the Friendship Circle and and profits. “I think that you improve by never being six local education foundations, including “If all the sponsors were here tonight, satisfied with who you are,” Matthews said. the Manhattan Beach Education Foundation. I would give them a big hug because 50 “Every one of us can improve upon Sunday “It is always a challenge to raise the money percent of the funds come from the sponsors- ourselves and we look at what we can do. Mostly Manhattan Beach Education Foundation more or less half of the money,” Greenberg we can do more and our goal is to find waysIf we don’t reach every single student, then-corporations are important because we raisedand keep the programs that the kids need,” Cloudy Executive Director Susan Warshaw said. said. to do that. Our board sets goals for us, they 66˚/52˚ critical and to have such a large gift from the and I believe in running corporations with a every year. Even with high achievement, wepush me hard and it pushes all of us hard“I am someone who runs a corporation“Every dollar and every contribution is so Friendship Circle and from SKECHERS is conscience in order to be successful and mean have shown growth every year for the last fantastic. It is very meaningful and it allows something to the community. Whoever it is seven years.” •
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