A sea of bright yellow t-shirts and smiling faces filled Universal Studios Spartacus Square as people of all ages and abilities came out to support AbilityFirst’s Stroll & Roll event held this past Saturday, April 27th 2013 at the Universal Studios Backlot. More than 1,600 in attendance, including 23 corporate businesses, families, and AbilityFirst participants walked, strolled and ran a 2.5 mile area as they viewed movie backdrop sets. A brief ‘welcome and thank you’ speech from presenting sponsor Comerica Bank representative, Mike Dokmanovich, Executive Vice President Middle Market, led the 1,600 plus participants to the start line to begin the AbilityFirst Stroll & Roll.
To add to the excitement, special guest and AbilityFirst honorary chair Jaclyn Smith was also in attendance forming her own team to benefit the AbilityFirst Claremont Center, one of twenty-four AbilityFirst locations throughout southern California. ‘Team Jaclyn Smith’ raised over $10,000! Additional sponsors included Platinum Equity, Quetico, Sempra Energy Foundation, Bolton & Co. and DIRECTV, Cisco Systems, America Chung Nam, Everest National Insurance Company, Hanover Insurance Services, National Technical Systems, One Beacon Charitable Trust, Universal Studios – Discover a Star Foundation.
A matching gift by AS&F Foundation, formerly known as the Forest Lawn Foundation, in the amount of $75,000 will be awarded if AbilityFirst raises $500,000! To help AbilityFirst reach their matching gift, please donate securely online www.abilityfirst.org/stroll&roll, or call (626) 243-4852.
“On behalf of all at AbilityFirst, I’d like to thank each and every person that came out to join us at our AbilityFirst Stroll & Roll event this year. We could not have done this without our great sponsors, families, friends and each individual that contributed in supporting us by raising funds. Thank you for your help in continuing our mission in helping children and adults with physical and developmental disabilities realize their full potential,†said Lori Gangemi, President and CEO of AbilityFirst.
About Ability First
AbilityFirst, formerly Crippled Children’s Society of Southern California, provides programs and services to help children and adults with disabilities reach their full potential. Through 24 locations across Southern California, they offer a broad range of employment, recreational and socialization programs as well as accessible residential housing complexes and an accessible camp, Camp Paivika, for both children and adults.
