Manhattan Beach About Town
Friendship walk
The Skechers Foundation hopes to break its donation and attendance records this Sunday morning at the organization’s 10th annual Skechers Pier to Pier Friendship Walk, which is expected to surpass $2 million for the first time in the event’s history. California’s largest walk in support of children with special needs and education begins with a ceremony at 9 a.m. at the Manhattan Beach Pier. The event has amassed a team of loyal celebrities, including Sugar Ray Leonard and Brooke Burke, who are returning for the fourth and eighth time, respectively, and sports legend Tommy Lasorda – a Skechers Pier to Pier Friendship Walk board member who helped launch the event with Skechers president Michael Greenberg and has attended the event since its beginning.
The Friendship Walk is a primary contributor to The Friendship Foundation, which assists children with special needs through one-on-one peer mentoring and social recreational activities. The Walk also helps education foundations maintain and enhance schools; improve technology, science labs and libraries; revamp music programs; reduce class sizes and protect teachers’ jobs.
The Walk has grown from approximately 1,000 people in attendance who raised $220,000 in 2009 to more than 13,000 walkers and participants donating $1.8 million in 2017. For more information, skechersfriendshipwalk.com.