For the Love of the Game
On Feb. 17, more than 120 Little League Baseball players, elementary school students, teachers and parents gathered alongside the executives, employees and volunteers from the Los Angeles Angels, Angles Baseball Foundation and Magical Builders to celebrate the renovation of two Little League baseball fields adjacent to Anaheim Hills Elementary School with a ribbon-cutting event.
“We are very excited to partner with the city of Anaheim and the Orange Unified School District on this field renovation project,” said Dennis Kuhl, chairman, Los Angeles Angels. “Our goal is to continue to provide easier access to the game of baseball for our community and expand the sport for generations to come.”
Following the ceremony, two Little League teams played a scrimmage on the new field.
Driving for the Future
On Feb. 20, the 2022 Genesis Invitational, hosted by golfer Tiger Woods and his Irvine-based TGR Foundation, welcomed fans and 120 PGA Tour golfers back to the Riviera Country Club in Pacific Palisades. The tournament also welcomed more than 1,200 kids to Riviera as part of the United Airlines Tee Off for Youth program.
The proceeds from the Genesis Invitational will benefit the TGR Foundation, which empowers youth to pursue their passions through education, including opportunities to learn about photography, graphic design, engineering, computer science and more. The TGR Foundation also supports educators with professional learning opportunities to help more students realize their full potential.
Joining the tournament in welcoming fans back to Riviera were partners Genesis, Citi, Tito’s Handmade Vodka, Michelob Ultra, TaylorMade, United Airlines, Garrison Brothers Distillery, Maestro Dobel Tequila, TravisMathew, Berde, Bang & Olufsen, Stretch Lab and more.
Drug-Free Futures
Top sports and entertainment personalities gathered on Feb. 10 at the Beall Center for Innovation in the UCI Research Park for a pre-Super Bowl celebration, where they shared leadership strategies, raised awareness and built financial support for the Sold Out Youth Foundation. The event, dubbed Legends & Leaders: Engaging, Inspiring & Challenging the Next Generation of Innovators was presented by LaserMED and Executive Next Practices Institute.
The evening raised more than $150,000 to support the nonprofit’s primary mission of educating, encouraging and challenging students to live a life of alcohol and drug abstinence through its school-based education program of life skills, overall health and wellness and fitness.
Event speakers included sports agent Leigh Steinberg, chairman of the board, Steinberg Sports & Entertainment; Roman Gabriel, CEO and president, Sold Out Youth Foundation, motivational speaker, The Roman Gabriel Show; David Meltzer, co-founder, Sports 1 Marketing; Vince Ferragamo, founder, Touchdown Development; Deb Carson, national anchor and on-air talent, Fox Sports; Danielle Martin, former professional athlete and mental skills and performance coach; and Fred Dryer, actor and former defensive end, Los Angeles Rams, NFL.
“The Executive Next Practices Institute was pleased to host Roman Gabriel’s Sold Out Youth Foundation,” said Scott Hamilton, president and chief executive, ENP. “Our corporate, investor and community leader membership believes in what Roman is doing to inspire the youth of our county to a life of drug and alcohol abstinence via his incredible network of sports stars and their messages.”
Attivo Group LLC, Abbott Label, Menlo Micro, Rotolo, Corona Del Mar Properties and the LA Rams were among the additional event sponsors.
United for a Home
United to End Homelessness, an initiative of Orange County United Way, has launched the “A Place to Call Home” campaign to help house 630 households by June 2022. The campaign has received a significant kick-start from the Tarsadia Foundation in the form of an unprecedented $1 million lead gift. The Tarsadia Foundation was founded by Bhikubhai (Bu) Patel, founder, Tarsadia Hotels, and his wife, Pushpa Patel.
“A Place to Call Home” campaign will benefit the organization’s WelcomeHomeOC Program, which facilitates housing for those experiencing homelessness who have a housing voucher.
“Ending homelessness in Orange County is a vital initiative, and an attainable one with the full support of our community,” said Shirish Dayal, executive vice president, Tarsadia Foundation, and a member of the United to End Homelessness Leadership Council. “Everyone deserves to have a safe and secure place to call home to achieve their full potential, and we hope this gift inspires others to help their fellow neighbors reach theirs.”
