It's a beautiful day in the neighborhood...

PEDAL ON THE PIER

The 7th annual Pedal on the Pier spin-a-thon fundraiser raised more than $1 million, twenty thousand dollars for Harold Robinson Foundation on Sunday, June 4 at the historic Santa Monica Pier. The high- energy outdoor cycling event was hosted by comedian Ben Gleib, featured live music performances and brought out numerous celebrities to ride and support the cause. This year's celebrity attendees included actress Rosanna Arquette, actress and model Molly Sims, Shameless actress Shanola Hampton, Laker Girls, Rams Cheerleaders, LA Kings Girls, actor and director Jaleel White (a.k.a. Urkel), TV Newscaster Courtney Friel, model and fitness trainer Shannon Decker, Former Laker/Clipper Kareem Rush, ESPN Reporter Julie Stewart-Banks, Dave Matthew's Band's Rashawn Ross, Fishbone's Norwood Fisher, numerous cast members of "Young and the Restless" and "General Hospital" including Robert Adamson, Cait Fairbanks, Daniel Hall, Robert Palmer Watkins, Haley Erin and Christian LeBlanc and model Logan Luedtke

"With more than 100 teams and 1,000 attendees, we were able to hit record-breaking numbers this year," said Joyce Hyser Robinson, co-founder of the Harold Robinson Foundation. "With award-winning musical performances, our wonderful celebrity support, food, drinks, fun activations and the beautiful Pacific as the backdrop, I am proud to say Pedal on the Pier has quickly become one of LA's most popular, physical philanthropic charity events."

After this year's totals, Pedal on the Pier will have raised more than five million dollars for Los Angeles' underserved kids and families through the Harold Robinson Foundation by providing them with the social, physical, intellectual and emotional impact of a year-round, life-changing camp program.

This year's event featured live musical performances by tribute band Earth, Wind and Power featuring Nth Power and members of Beyoncé and Justin Timberlake's bands, DJ Mike Taylor, Rashawn Ross of Dave Mathews Band and Norwood Fisher of Fishbone, and was sponsored by Stages Cycling, Caliwater, BeatBike, Wahoo's Fish Tacos, Taos Footwear, Planet Smoothie, Del Frisco's Grille, Spinfish Poke, Kona Ice, Bead Relief, Snap Yourself and Orangetheory Fitness.

The Harold Robinson Foundation also revealed on Sunday a new partnership with the Queen Mary and its leaseholder, Los Angeles-based developer Urban Commons, to bring the Camp Ubuntu program to deserving Long Beach schools in 2018. Long Beach City Councilmember Jeannie Pearce along with members of the Urban Commons team were in attendance at the Pedal on the Pier event to commemorate this exciting announcement. More details on the partnership will be released in the near future.

The Harold Robinson Foundation is a nonprofit that provides unity and community through the organization's flagship program, Camp Ubuntu. It began with an idea from Jeff Robinson almost 20 years ago; that every child should have the same opportunities he had as a kid, no matter where they stand on the socioeconomic ladder.  The Harold Robinson Foundation provides the funding and resources to send Los Angeles's underserved children to camp, in a safe and nurturing environment, far away from the stress that most of them face on a daily basis. HRF provides parenting workshops andthey also started a day camp in the center of Watts, CA.

Ubuntu is an ancient South African philosophy that means, "I am because we are." The Harold Robinson Foundation has adopted this philosophy as a tool to teach children the guiding principles of the foundation, which are family, respect, unity and community. This unifying principle frames all of Camp Ubuntu's programming. This past year, Camp Ubuntu hosted more than 2,000 students from 20 high-need schools, mostly in the community of Watts.

 Watch this video for a look at the camp and its overwhelming effects on inner-city kids.

For more information or to donate to the Harold Robinson Foundation, visit http://pedalonthepier.org.

Posted on Sunday, June 4, 2017 at 01:42PM by Registered CommenterFabian Lewkowicz | CommentsPost a Comment | EmailEmail | PrintPrint

Venice Pride

In honor of the late Los Angeles City Councilman Bill Rosendahl, Venice Pride transformed this lifeguard tower with a rainbow paint job at Venice Beach on May 26, 2017. VENICE PRIDE is a non-profit organization dedicated to serving the needs of the LGBTQ+ community and its partners through educational events, entertainment, community outreach, and celebrations of diversity, including the Venice Pride Sign Lighting & Street Festival. #VenicePride

 

Posted on Friday, May 26, 2017 at 02:26PM by Registered CommenterFabian Lewkowicz | CommentsPost a Comment | EmailEmail | PrintPrint

Venice Pride

In honor of the late Los Angeles City Councilman Bill Rosendahl, Venice Pride transformed this lifeguard tower with a rainbow paint job at Venice Beach on May 26, 2017. VENICE PRIDE is a non-profit organization dedicated to serving the needs of the LGBTQ+ community and its partners through educational events, entertainment, community outreach, and celebrations of diversity, including the Venice Pride Sign Lighting & Street Festival. #VenicePride

Posted on Friday, May 26, 2017 at 02:24PM by Registered CommenterFabian Lewkowicz | CommentsPost a Comment | EmailEmail | PrintPrint

ANIMAL KINGDOM

Animal Kingdom Santa Monica cuts the ribbon during the Santa Monica Chamber of Commerce Ribbon Cutting Ceremony on Wednesday, May 24, 2017. Animal Kingdom's goal is to deliver the best quality pet supplies and personalized services. They carefully choose products with the utmost care and research because they truly believe that our furry, feathered, scaled, and cold-blooded family members deserve it. They give us all their love and we want to give back!

Posted on Wednesday, May 24, 2017 at 09:13PM by Registered CommenterFabian Lewkowicz | CommentsPost a Comment | EmailEmail | PrintPrint

Bring Back the Beach

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A model struts down the catwalk wearing recycled ocean pollution designed by Marina Debris during Heal the Bay’s Bring Back the Beach: Annual Awards Gala at the Santa Monica Pier on Thursday, May 18, 2017. Heal the Bay is a nonprofit environmental organization making Southern California coastal waters and watersheds, including Santa Monica Bay, safe, healthy and clean. Photo by David Young-Wolff

Posted on Friday, May 19, 2017 at 01:26PM by Registered CommenterFabian Lewkowicz | CommentsPost a Comment | EmailEmail | PrintPrint

Nancy Lee Kelly

Singer/Songwriter NANCY LEE KELLY, 64, plays the electric guitar at Ocean Front Walk #SantaMonica on Saturday, May 6, 2017.

Posted on Sunday, May 7, 2017 at 07:38AM by Registered CommenterFabian Lewkowicz | CommentsPost a Comment | EmailEmail | PrintPrint

Cinco de Mayo Parade

The Pico Youth & Family Center's Cinco de Mayo Parade march on Lincoln Blvd. on Saturday, May 6, 2017.

Posted on Sunday, May 7, 2017 at 07:36AM by Registered CommenterFabian Lewkowicz | CommentsPost a Comment | EmailEmail | PrintPrint

Hot Dog on a Stick

Hot Dog on a Stick employees during an early morning staff meeting in #SantaMonica on Saturday, May 6, 2017.

Posted on Sunday, May 7, 2017 at 07:33AM by Registered CommenterFabian Lewkowicz | CommentsPost a Comment | EmailEmail | PrintPrint