Skechers hosts annual Pier-to-Pier Walk

By Ashley Cohen
Staff Writer

Skechers and Friendship Circle held the annual Pier-to-Pier Friendship Walk on Oct. 27 at the Manhattan Beach Pier to raise money for Friendship Circle.

Friendship Circle is an non-profit organization aimed at improving the lives of children and young adults through mentoring.Over 15,000 residents participated in the walk from the Manhattan Beach Pier to the Hermosa Beach Pier and back. The collaboration between Skechers President Michael Greenberg, Walk coordinator Jill Jensen and the Friendship Circle raised over $1 million for children with special needs.

“The whole community recognizes what we are trying to do for special needs children and education,” Greenberg said. “Skechers and the Friendship Circle greatly appreciate everyone’s support.”

Celebrities including Denise Austin, Brooke Burke, Jimmy Kimmel, and Tommy Lasorda, made appearances at the opening ceremony of the walk.

“The publicity we got this year was incredible,” club preident Lea Sepanek said. “All of the celebrities who showed up helped what Skechers and the Friendship Circle are trying to do.”

The first Skechers Pier-to-Pier Friendship Walk took place in 2009 when Greenberg reached out to the Friendship Circle after seeing its work with special needs children in the community. There, 1,000 people attended, and the walk raised about $220,000.

“It’s amazing to see how the walk has grown over these past few years into such a central community event,” Jensen said. “The amount of support we get is unbelievable, and I couldn’t be happier with our progress.”

The Friendship Circle started in 2005 as a program to give children with special needs an easier way of life by organizing activities and allowing interaction with fellow students. The organization teamed up with high school volunteers nationwide to create a bond between high school students and special needs children.

“It gives the children with special needs an opportunity to shine,” Greenberg said. “It makes them feel like they’ve accomplished something, and they’re doing it with the community.”

Sepanek hopes that future Friendship Circle walks will continue to be as successful as this year’s event.

“The Pier-to-Pier Walk went better than it ever has,” Sepanek said. “It’s amazing to see the walk get bigger and bigger every year, with more and more support from the community.”