Promise Event Raises over $10,000
Lt. Mike Tegner of the Fremont Police Department was the Master of Ceremonies at our Promise Event last weekend at Massimo's Restaurant. Thanks to so many of you, we raised over $10,000 before the event even started!
Lt. Tegner led us through a jam-packed evening of entertainment, student speakers, a documentary on Boldly Me work and the poignant story of the founder and Executive Director, Alanna Powell. Here he is posing with some of our Boldly Me hula dancers and volunteers:
We've served thousands of students since 2012. With so many students suffering from depression, abuse, mental illness and a general feeling of despair, an increasing number of school districts have reached out to us for their services. The Promise Event shows these children that the community is there for them by supporting our programs.
Three brave teenagers shared their personal stories at the event, and emphasized how pivotal Boldly Me was and continues to be for their continuing personal development.
By sharing their personal stories in public, they not only serve as testimonials to the good work we are doing, they are also validating and inspiring others who may have had a similar experience in their own life.
People who hear a story that resonates with them and have suffered in silence themselves realize they are not alone. And that's big.
Lara Calvert-York, Former Fremont Unified School District (FUSD) Board President and Larry Sweeney, current FUSD Board President spoke passionately about the need for Boldly Me in the schools as troubled children continue to grasp for support and tools to survive. Issues such as suicide, suicidal ideation, anxiety and depression demonstrate the urgent need for prevention and early intervention services. With continued support, we can meet that need.
Several other prominent community members joined us including:
Fremont Vice Mayor Lily Mei
Fremont City Council Member Rick Jones
Former Fremont City Council Member Raj Salwan
Former First Lady of Fremont Linda Wasserman
President of Santa Clara County Board of Supervisors Dave Cortese
Policy Aide for Santa Clara County Supervisor Cindy Chavez’ Office, Alex Lin
East Side High School District Board Member & Trustee, Pattie Cortese
Dave Cortese and his wife, Pattie presented a Commendation award from the County of Santa Clara to Alanna Powell for her work and continuing dedication to the students.
We laughed. We cried. We danced.
We got tattoos...
And we ate cake...
And then we danced some more. Here's a clip of what happens when you try to hula to Uptown Funk...
We'd like to thank all of our sponsors and guests who helped us raise enough money to keep us going into schools and helping the kids who need us the most. Who need us to teach them about self-compassion and give them the tools to cope with life's struggles, and let them know that there is help and support out there for them. And that they are not alone.
Remember...
