- by Alana Garrigues
- Oct 29, 2015
The Skechers Pier to Pier Friendship Walk, a favorite among South Bay
residents, continued its success by raising $1,404,930 in its seventh
year in Manhattan Beach with help from the Mira Costa Marching Band and a
long list of celebrities including actress Brooke Burke-Charvet,
fitness guru Denise Austin, L.A. Dodgers Adviser Tommy Lasorda and
legendary boxer Sugar Ray Leonard.
But the most important aspect
to Skechers CEO Michael Greenberg, who co-founded the walk, is the money
it raises for children’s charities.
Before handing the microphone
to celebrities during the opening ceremony, he passed it on to Sofia
Duran, a young woman with special needs and a participant in the
Friendship Circle – a nonprofit that brings kid volunteers and children
with special needs together – to get the crowd riled up.
Mic in hand, she enthusiastically shouted words that only she
knew the true meaning of. She raised her fist in the air, gave the
audience a power-to-the-people virtual fist bump and waited for the
cheers. She did it several times, and each time, the audience’s response
was louder and more encouraging. It was clear that she loved every
minute of it.
That’s precisely the focus that Greenberg wants to
keep for the walk. It’s a fun morning, an opportunity for neighbors to
reconnect and start the day off with a bit of fitness and a chance for
kids to see some of their favorite Disney, ABC and Nickelodeon TV stars
along with sports celebrities. Star Wars characters and Sponge Bob
Square Pants even joined in for photos this year.
Greenberg said that it’s the focus on the cause and the children that makes the day so successful every year.
“What
more do you want to be attached to than being attached to children,
whether it be education or helping lifelong bonds with children with
special needs that don’t really have the opportunity to engage the same
way that mainstream kids do?” said Greenberg. “There are kids that
actually do not have friends, and friends are new to them and you see
the smiles that these friendships, that these teenage volunteers are so
selfless. They give themselves. They give their time. And they put in
their hours and energy and love and support and devotion to these kids
with special needs and it’s just beautiful. That touches the heart of
everyone.”
The more than $1.4 million goes to Friendship Circle
and South Bay education foundations. That’s up by more than $200,000
compared to last year, and Greenberg expects the number will continue to
grow in the future.
Half of the money comes from the walkers’
registrations. There were 12,757 of them this year. The other half,
Greenberg said, comes from business sponsors and private individuals who
contribute every year.
One of those donors is Steel Partners CEO
Warren Lichtenstein. He met Greenberg after he moved to the South Bay
six years ago. His rabbi in Aspen has a brother – Rabbi Yossi Mintz,
Executive Director of the Friendship Circle. Lichtenstein was told to
connected with Mintz upon his arrival in L.A. Through Mintz, he learned
about the organization and connected with Greenberg. He knew he wanted
to do something.
So last year, in addition to making his regular
donation, which he has done since the second year of the walk, he
started a challenge to raise awareness and get people interacting and
posting about the event on social media.
“We wanted to figure out a way that people could participate more,” said Lichtenstein.
The
challenge was to take a selfie and post it, with the hashtag
#P2PSteelSports. He’d donate an extra $5 per selfie with the hashtag,
posted within 24 hours of the walk.
This year, 609 posts with the
hashtag went up on Facebook, Instagram and Twitter, resulting in an
additional $3,045 in donations.
Greenberg said it’s that type of dedication and generosity
from business leaders that is necessary to make the world a better
place.
“All corporations have an obligation to support good causes
and to give back to the communities, not just where they operate, but
on a global level,” said Greenberg.
In the walk’s first year,
seven years ago, Greenberg recalled that he was nervous whether anyone
would show up. That first year, he raised just over $200,000 and was
happy with a great start. It’s grown by leaps and bounds since—Greenberg
estimates between 15 to 20 percent growth each year in both money
raised and participation. He doesn’t have a specific goal in mind for
the future. As long as the walk thrives, he’s happy.
He said the partnership with local education foundations has been one major reason for the walk’s success.
“Their
influence in rallying the students to sign up for the walk is
imperative,” said Greenberg. “We can’t do it without them. The different
districts and how they support and promote the walk, it’s just
incredible.”
This year, the education foundations were out in full
force, with men and woman holding signs along the walk indicating which
school they represented. Most people wore the Pier to Pier T-shirts,
but some folks designed their own team logos or sayings, supporting
their school or supporting a friendship that grew out of the Friendship
Circle.
Along the walk, there was a homecoming feel, with
cheerleaders from all the local high schools—each one in a brand new
pair of bright white Skechers shoes—shook pom-poms and chanted
encouraging words for the walkers, “Keep it up!” and “You can do it!”
That’s
perhaps what makes the day so special. Through the atmosphere and the
tone that Greenberg and his team set, it makes people feel good about
giving.
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