For nearly four decades, people have been running, walking and focusing on the Seal Beach community every April for the annual 5K/10K and for the last few years, the 1K kids fun run.
For nearly four decades, people have been running, walking and focusing on the Seal Beach community every April for the annual 5K/10K and for the last few years, the 1K kids fun run.
On Monday, Run Seal Beach announced it has crossed the threshold of giving back more than $1 million in local grants and awards.
“This has been our biggest year ever,” said Race Treasurer Elizabeth Kane. “We have given $177,850 in 91 individual awards and grants to 83 different organizations. It is a banner year.”
Race Director Marc Loopesko echoed her sentiments.
“It is a crowning achievement to be able to say we have given more than a million dollars back to the community, actually $1,003,500 in the last 11 years,” he said.
Funds go to a variety of non-profits, particularly in the sports and recreation sector. The entire LAUSD actually is the major beneficiary of over 47 percent of the total funds raised over the last decade.
Other major recipients include the City of Seal Beach recreation department, police, lifeguards and other Seal Beach and Los Alamitos based non-profits. In general, grant recipients will range in awards from $500 to just over $7,500. Uses are usually for direct equipment costs, scholarships or improvements to programs for the recipients.
For many groups, like the Los Alamitos booster clubs, this is vital funding to support many of their direct costs. Many recipients have Run Seal Beach as a key sponsor of scholarships, direct support of their mission or for enrichment of existing programming.
“Undoubtedly it is in part because of the sponsorship of Run Seal Beach that allows the city to continue to offer high caliber community/recreation programs, increase recreation opportunities, and the ‘above and beyond’ ongoing support you now give to other projects such as the palm tree lighting at the pier,” said Seal Beach City Manager Jill Ingram. “It’s a tribute to your commitment to Seal Beach by taking the lead on providing the city with the necessary funding to keep our community pool operating as efficiently as possible until we have a brand new community pool plan moving forward.”
With dozens of recipients and the largest award size ever, Run Seal Beach has managed to make the event even larger than it was ever imagined.
“It is a privilege to be part of producing such an incredible event for Seal Beach,” Loopesko said. “We have over 550 volunteers on race day, and our organizing committee does so much work, from the Start Line to Finish line. Thank you to all of our sponsors and volunteers who made the million dollar finish possible.”
Run Seal Beach is already gearing up for the 2014 race on April 5. For more information, go to www.RunSealBeach.com and keep an eye out for registration and sponsorship information.
Run Seal Beach – 2013 Grants
Organization Name Amount Awarded For
B.R.A.I.N (Brain Rehab & Injury) $ 500 Yoga Equip
Beach Cities Youth Lacrosse $1,425 Team Equipment
Boy’s & Girl’s Club of Cypress $1,100 Health programs
Cancer Support Foundation $2,400 Strong and healthy class support
Casa Youth Shelter $1,000 Indoor PE Equipment
City of Los Alamitos Rec. Dept. $1,500 Grants for low income families
Hopkinson Elementary School $1,100 Portable PA System
LAHS Athletics Department $3,250 Indoor Volleyball equipment
LAHS Band Boosters $3,000 New Band Instruments
LAHS Baseball Boosters $2,300 Uniforms
LAHS Basketball (Boys) Boosters $2,400 Uniforms
LAHS Basketball (Girls) Boosters $ 900 Coaches Stipends
LAHS Cross Country Boosters $2,400 Practice shade shelters
LAHS Dance Program $2,250 Costumes (Uniforms)
LAHS Football Boosters $4,200 Transport Costs
LAHS Golf (Girls) Boosters $1,900 Uniforms & Greens Fees
LAHS Ice Hockey Boosters $2,600 Uniforms & Equipment
LAHS Jazz Band Boosters $3,000 Instruments & transportation costs
LAHS Lacrosse Boosters $3,600 Uniforms
LAHS Music Program Boosters $3,300 Costumes
LAHS Soccer (Boys) Boosters $2,550 Uniforms
LAHS Soccer (Girls) Boosters $2,350 Equipment , uniforms
LAHS Softball Boosters $2,200 Equipment , uniforms
LAHS Sports Medicine Dept $2,125 Training equipment
LAHS Tennis (Boys) $2,000 Uniforms & transportation costs
LAHS Tennis (Girls) $2,300 Uniforms & transportation costs
LAHS Track and Field $7,400 Weight-training equipment
LAHS Volleyball (Boys) Boosters $1,550 Uniforms and tournament entry fees
LAHS Volleyball (Girls) Boosters $2,225 Team uniforms and transportation
LAHS Water Polo & Swim $2,650 Timing System, Touchpad, Suits
LAHS Yell, Song & Cheer $3,000 Facility rental fees or transportation
Los Alamitos Elementary School $1,475 STEP program equipment
Los Alamitos Girls Softball League $1,100 Uniforms for fall league
Los Alamitos Youth Baseball $1,750 Helmets & Baseballs
Los Alamitos Youth Center $2,225 Sports equipment
McAuliffe Middle School Jazz Band $1,900 New instruments
McAuliffe Middle School PE $2,600 Indoor bikes & pull up system
MOM’s Club of SB- Old Town $ 300 Group field trip
Oak Middle School Music – Instr. $1,600 Competition travel costs
Oak Middle School Music – Vocal $1,675 Trailer to transport equipment
Project Seek $3,900 Playground equipment
Rossmoor CSD $1,050 Rec. equipment for Rossmoor Park
Save Our Beach $3,400 Operating needs for beach cleanups
School Ghoul Run Los Alamitos $ 700 Cost of street closures
Seal Beach Animal Care Center $3,900 Wag n Walk Sponsorship 2013
Seal Beach Boy Scouts Troup 642 $1,500 Camping gear
Seal Beach Founder’s Day $1,700 Founder’s day concert 2013
Seal Beach Girl Scouts $1,025 Recreation equipment for SB House
Seal Beach Leos $1,275 Leo Leadership symposium costs
Seal Beach Lions $2,300 Lighting for holiday parade
Seal Beach Playgroup $1,550 Equipment for program
Seal Beach PONY Baseball $4,000 Uniforms
Seal Beach Swim Club $2,750 Lane lines – Los Al pool
Special Olympics No. Coast $2,600 Program fees for local kids
St. Hedwig School $1,600 Recreation equipment
St. Hedwig PONY Baseball $ 800 Mound covers & pitching machine
United Water Polo Club $1,100 Swim equipment
Weaver Elementary School $1,700 Playground equipment
Women’s Club of Seal Beach $ 900 Projector
City of Seal Beach Recreation Dept
$3,500 Holiday tree lighting event sponsorship
$7,750 McGaugh Pool repairs
$3,000 Lane lines for McGaugh pool
City of Seal Beach Marine Svcs Dept
$3,250 Scholarships for Jr Lifeguards
$1,600 Beach access wheelchair
$ 800 CPR training mannequins
Seal Beach Police Department
$3,300 Red Ribbon Week program
$2,000 RadKids Program
$1,400 Chase the Chief Program – McGaugh School
Seal Beach Police Explorers $1,450 Summer Explorer competition
Seal Beach Police Honor Guard $1,650 Program Costs
Seal Beach Police Officer’s Assoc. $2,100 Baker to Vegas relay costs
Seal Beach Police Volunteers Assoc. $ 700 Program Costs
Total Grant Awards 2013 $159,350
Run Seal Beach – 2013 Directors Awards
Organization Name Amount Awarded For
Amigos de Bolsa Chica $ 500 Education & Conservation Programs
Autism Partnership Foundation $1,100 Fall Carnival Support
Community Senior Serve $1,000 Program Costs
Food Finders – Long Beach $1,000 Program costs
Friends of the Library- Mary Wilson $1,000 2014 World Book Encyclopedia Set
Friends of the Library- Rossmoor $1,000 Summer reading or other programs
Friends of the SB Wildlife Refuge $ 500 Binoculars for visitors
Grateful Hearts – Los Alamitos $ 500 Program Costs
Helen Sanders Cat Paws $1,000 Operating costs
Honoring Our Fallen $ 800 Camera & cash for accessories
Hunter Gramm Eagle Scout Project $ 500 Edison Community Gardens Project
Interval House $1,000 Program Costs
JFTB Military Family Support $ 500 Von’s Gift Cards
JFTB MWR Fund $ 500 Program Costs
Los Alamitos Education Foundation $1,000 Operating costs
Los Alamitos-Seal Beach Rotary $ 500 Fishing derby 2014
Los Cerritos Wetlands Stewards $ 500 Wetlands conservation
Miss Seal Beach Pageant $ 500 Program Costs
Precious Life Shelter $1,000 Transportation costs
Seal Beach Cable Comm (SBTV) $1,500 Production Costs
Seal Beach Chamber of Commerce $ 600 Summer Concert
Seal Beach Police Officer’s Assoc. $ 500 Program Costs
Seal Beach Thanksgiving Dinner $ 500 Meal fixed costs not donated.
SB VFW & American Legion $ 500 Program costs for ceremonies
We Care Family Support Center $ 500 Program Costs
Total Director’s Awards 2013 $18,500
