3rd Annual Go Blue or Go Home Picnic Success!
On April 12, 2015, the local Palisades community came together for Working With Autism (WWA) and the Yogurt Shoppe’s 3rd annual “Go Blue or Go Home” picnic to honor autism awareness month and raise funds for Autism Speaks. Jennifer and Kevin Sabin, local residents and founders of WWA and the Yogurt Shoppe, created this event to bring awareness to the community and to offer a fun filled venue for all to share. The day was complete with amazing activities for all ages, frozen yogurt, and delicious food trucks, in addition to music provided by DJ FX.
Our heartfelt thanks go out to the many local sponsors including The Friendship Circle of the Palisades, Palisades News, Gibson International, Elyse Walker, Helen’s Cycles, Jaime Geller, Pacific Palisades Pediatric Dentistry, Juice Crafters, Marc Michel Eyewear Studio, Yogi Girl Yogi Guy, MeCHE salon, Black Ink, Matthew’s Garden Café, Jonathan & George Salon, and Mae Mae Jewlery.
The variety of activities and the enthusiasm of all who attended made the day a great success! There were bounce houses with obstacles courses, climbing walls, and sports themes, human hamster balls, sumo suit wrestling, and other carnival style games. The kids got a visit from a Disney Princess and were able to enjoy face painting, henna tattoos, balloon art, and take pictures in a photo booth. The raffles were a tremendous hit with amazing prizes such as Southwest Airline Tickets, Dodger Tickets, a Samsung Galaxy Notebook, lovely jewelry from Mae Mae Jewlery and Lagoon Jewels, as well as a bike from Helen’s Cycles, just to name a few. All who participated in the raffles were able to walk away feeling good about the worthy contributions they had made.
There were over 50 volunteers at this year’s event, most of whom were our dedicated WWA staff. In addition to volunteering their time on the day of the event, our staff participated in fund raising efforts in the weeks leading up to the event. Congratulations to Alex Clifford and Rosie Ruelas who respectively came in First and Second Place as our top staff fundraisers. Also, congratulations to the team of Jill Reder who was our top fundraising team!
In addition to being a memorable event for all the families in attendance, the picnic was a great opportunity to celebrate the strength, perseverance, and dedication of all individuals affected by Autism. WWA and the Yogurt Shoppe look forward to continuing this tradition for many years to come! Sponsors and volunteers who would like to participate in this activity next year are encouraged to contact either of these organizations to find out about how to become involved.