BTSLA Annual Benefit highlights amazing weekend
Posted: June 24, 2016
June 24, 2016 | The 3rd Annual Beat the Streets Los Angeles Benefit highlighted a spectacular weekend for our organization.
Wrestling Day in Los Angeles
On the morning of June 10th, athletes from our Topanga PAL program were honored to take part in ceremonies at Los Angeles City Hall. District 4 Los Angeles city councilmember David Ryu, along with United World Wrestling President Nenad Lalovic, and our founder Andy Barth declared June 10th Wrestling Day in the City of Los Angeles. Also present at the ceremonies were dignitaries from United World Wrestling, 2016 Olympian Adeline Grey, actor Billy Baldwin, LAPD Topanga Division Captain Allan Hamilton, along with representatives from the 8 nations that competed in the Men’s Freestyle World Cup that took place on June 11th and 12th at The Forum in Inglewood.
BTSLA Annual Benefit
On the evening of June 10th, the BTSLA community gathered at the LA84 Foundation in Los Angeles for our annual benefit. This event helped raise funds that are critical to the fulfillment of our vision to create sustainable and high-quality wrestling programs for the youth of Los Angeles. Over 200 people gathered to support BTSLA and celebrate the progress our organization has made since our founding in 2012.
The annual benefit featured step-and-repeat photographs, gourmet delicacies and drinks, silent auction items, an Olympic-themed green screen, music from DJ Bino, live auction, and the ever-popular donor wall, sponsored by Cliff Keen Athletics.
Highlighting the evening was the short film Coach For Life, featuring BTSLA coaches Nick Cegelski and Sarah Saenz. This film captured the critical work that our coaches do in implementing our sports-based youth development program across Los Angeles.
Over the course of the event, our generous donors completed the $25,000 donor wall enabling us to support our newest program at the Union Rescue Mission’s Hope Gardens facility for 2 years.
Men’s Freestyle World Cup
During the two days that followed the annual benefit, BTSLA took over 200 individuals from our programs to the Men’s Freestyle World Cup. Our student-athletes were inspired by the greatest wrestlers in the world over the 2 day event. During the World Cup, our athletes again had the opportunity to meet United World Wrestling president Nenad Lalovic.
The strength of BTSLA was manifest in the various partnerships which came together over the course of the weekend. During these three days, Council Member David Ryu and United World Wrestling President Nenad Lalovic demonstrated the critical role of civic and international leadership for the sport of wrestling; our annual benefit exhibited the strength of our community of supporters; and our youth were provided with a vision of the leadership role they will play on and off the wrestling mat as they continue their commitment to our sports-based youth development program.
Annual Benefit photo gallery:
