West Sacramento:
Sunday, May 29
The 3rd Annual Walk ‘N Rock for Kids event got underway at just after 8:00 a.m Sunday morning. Sarah Blincoe, this year’s walk ambassador along with Sacramento mayor Kevin Johnson led the way as some 6,500 walkers followed the 5K route from Raley Field over the Tower Bridge to the State Capital and back.
A VIP reception and benefit concert in the evening was open to the general public and featured the legendary rock band KISS.
The event is made possible by the great work of the Sacramento-based nonprofit Hope Productions Foundation.
Founded by Sacramento business leaders the organization provides fundraising and resource tools at no cost to help strengthen select non-profits in the region whose charitable work will benefit local children and youth programs.
“We have seven nonprofit partners that have completed the three-year program from 2009-2011 and they are ready to graduate,” said Hope Production’s Amelia Marquis.
They include: Big Brothers Big Sisters of Greater Sacramento, Inc., Cristo Rey High School, Keaton Raphael Memorial, Okizu, People Reaching Out, River Cats Foundation and Wind Youth Services.
Currently there are 22 non-profits participating in the program.
And with hard work comes as the foundation puts it, “Stories of Hope”.
It was on Christmas day that the then six year-old Sadie Leber was diagnosed with the common childhood cancer neuroblastoma. Parents Todd and Candace Leber noticed that she was walking with a limp and had a fever. Doctors would remove a softball size tumor from her abdomen next to one of her kidneys and she underwent six months of chemotherapy.
Now at nine-years of age, Leber had a recent relapse. Said mom Candace, “She is currently receiving another year’s worth of treatments and is responding well.”
Team “Super Sadie” had 34 walkers on Sunday comprised of family and friends and raised over $3,000 for her charity Camp Okizu. The amount is enough to send three kids to camp for a week. Sadie raised $275 herself selling handmade bracelets. Her favorite activities at Okizu are kayaking, swimming and archery.
Miss Leber flashed a smile and post-walk enthusiasm. “I liked the walk because I did it with my friends, it was long but it was super fun,” she shared.
With close to 40 years of hits, KISS lit the stage like a Saturday night Sacramento River Cats post-game fireworks show. Fans came with faces painted and t-shirts some dating back to the ‘70s. The nearly packed-house wasn’t disappointed when the band broke out “Modern Day Delilah” to start the show, filled the middle with “I Love It Loud” and “Black Diamond” and brought down the lights with “Shout it Out Loud” and “Rock and Roll All Night”.
The gracious performers mentioned throughout the night their support of Hope Productions work with children and other charities they are a part of. They had four custom-painted Mini Coopers on display at the show that are up for auction on eBay. Proceeds will go to UNICEF for kids in Japan and causes around the world.
Opening the show were the Miles Schon Band followed by Big Boss Graffiti.
Said Hope Productions Ancelle Contreras, “We’ve raised more than $400,000 so far this year and not only will that total go higher today with the VIP reception and benefit concert but we’ll continue to raise money for our 22 charities until July.”
For more information and a complete list of nonprofit affiliates please visit Hope Productions Foundation Sacramento.
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