On Thursday, March 2, Skechers president, Michael Greenberg was joined by over 150 people including celebrities, corporate sponsors, city leaders, school officials, and education foundation representatives to celebrate The Skechers Friendship Walk; California’s largest charity event supporting children with special needs and education.

Skechers celebrated the success of the eighth annual Walk with a check presentation ceremony at the Shade Hotel in Redondo Beach. The Skechers Foundation presented $914,000 to six education foundations and $434,000 to The Friendship Foundation – a non-profit organization that assists children with special needs and their families.

 The Foundation also announced plans to expand its scholarship program four-fold in 2017, awarding $100,000 to high school students in need nationwide.

 To date, the Walk has united over 54,000 participants and has raised over $7 million to support The Friendship Foundation – as well as educational foundations that are committed to bettering the school system by saving jobs of teachers, retaining vital academic programs, maintaining smaller class sizes, improving libraries and upgrading school technology. The Walk is an extension of the Skechers Foundation.

The 2016 Skechers Pier to Pier Friendship walk raised over $1.6 million. Those receiving checks include the Friendship Foundation, $434,000; El Segundo Ed Foundation, $105,000; Hermosa Beach Ed Foundation, $130,000; Manhattan Beach Ed Foundation, $130,000; Peninsula Ed Foundation, $240,000; Redondo Beach Ed Foundation, $151,000; and Torrance Ed Foundation, $158,000.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Celebrity Attendees

  • Brooke Burke-Charvet–Model / Host / Entrepreneur
  • Denise Austin – Fitness Enthusiast

Sponsors, School Reps & City Officials In Attendance:

  • David Lesser – Manhattan Beach Mayor
  • Farnaz Flecher – Executive Director, Manhattan Beach Education Foundation
  • George Apostol – Vice President, Leadership Manhattan Beach
  • Steve Napolitano – Former three-term MB Mayor, Senior Deputy to L.A. County Supervisor
  • Don Knabe, MB City Council
  • Christine Byrne – Executive Director, Palos Verdes Peninsula Education Foundation
  • Hanh Archer – President, Redondo Beach Education Foundation
  • Dr. Steven Keller – Superintendent, Redondo Beach
  • Carol Pirsztuk – CEO, El Segundo Education Foundation
  • Dr. Melissa Moore – Superintendent, El Segundo
  • Donna Ginn – Hermosa Beach Education Foundation Board Member
  • Shauna Mullins – Hermosa Beach Education Foundation Board Member
  • Yossi Mintz – Executive Director, The Friendship Foundation
  • Susan Swinburne – Executive Director, Torrance Education Foundation
  • Steve Carlston – President & GM, NBC4
  •  Warren Lichtenstein – Steel Partners

Photo courtesy Skechers