The 9th annual Pedal on the Pier spin-a-thon fundraiser raised $800,000 for The Harold Robinson Foundation this past Sunday, June 2 on the historic Santa Monica Pier. The high energy, five-hour outdoor cycling event was hosted by comedian Ben Gleib, featured live music performances by The Voice’s Amanda Brown who kicked off the event with a beautiful rendition of the National Anthem, female tap dance sensation Syncopated Ladies, and DJ’s Mike Taylor and Shacia Payne Marley brought out numerous celebrities to ride and support the cause. This year's celebrity attendees included NBC’s The Voice contestant Amanda Brown, Actress Rosanna Arquette, television host Mark Steines, actor and producer Jaleel White, boxer Victor Ortiz as well as the Rams Cheerleaders.
Other notable stars who jumped on bikes to show their support were Fitness Model and Celebrity Trainer Shannon Decker, Actress Tiffany Smith (‘Meghan Markle’ in “Harry & Meghan: Becoming Royal,” The CW’s Supernatural, The CW’s Jane The Virgin), Actress Brianna Roy (Disney Channel’s Raven’s Home), Actress Jenasha Roy (ABC’s Fresh Off the Boat) Actor Brennin Hunt, (RENT live on Fox, Pretty Woman - Broadway,) Anchor Wendy Burch (KTLA anchor), Actor Daniel Hall (Young & The Restless), Actress Megan Easton, Actor Marlon Yates Jr. ("Straight Outta Compton"), musician Scott Page (Pink Floyd,) MMA Fighter Frank Shamrock, Actor Steven Silver (13 Reasons Why), Actor Spencer Neville (Ozark) and Actor and Fitness Guru Shaka Smith (Disney Channel’s Pair of Kings).
“With more than 100 teams and 1,000 attendees, we were able to raise an incredible $800,000 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 activities and the beautiful Pacific as the backdrop, I am proud to say Pedal on the Pier has 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 seven 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 food from a variety of local restaurants including Tesse, Sweetfin Poke, Kye's, Kreation Organic, 1212 Santa Monica, Benny's Taco's, Bento Moderno, Porta Via, Factor's Famous Deli, Bubba Gump Shrimp, Pie Hole and Myo Mochi and beverages from Tito’s, Vita Coco, Golden Road and Dulce Vida
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’ 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 and they 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.
For more information or to donate to the Harold Robinson Foundation, visit http://pedalonthepier.haroldrobinsonfoundation.org.
Submitted by Ruben Diaz
