LOS ANGELES--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Children's Hospital Los Angeles (CHLA) will hold its Fourth Annual Walk & Play L.A. presented by Disney on Saturday, May 16, 2020. In response to COVID-19 and in consideration of the health and safety of participants, volunteers and staff, this year’s event will be virtual, designed for the whole family to take part in limited available indoor and outdoor space.
“COVID-19 has changed many aspects of our everyday lives, but it has not changed Children’s Hospital Los Angeles’s mission to create hope and build healthier futures for children,” says Children’s Hospital Los Angeles President and CEO Paul S. Viviano. “Now more than ever, our everyday heroes require the support of the community to ensure our patients receive the lifesaving and critical care they need. Walk & Play L.A. gives everyone an opportunity to give back to the patients and essential health care workers at CHLA while staying active in the safety of their homes.”
The event’s virtual kick-off will take place at 8:30 a.m. on the Facebook Event Page and feature Grammy Award-winning singer-songwriter Jason Mraz in a special performance of his new single ‘Look For The Good.’ There will also be entertainment by global pop group NOW UNITED, mega pop hit-making and production duo LOOTE, DJ Dense of the LA Clippers, LA Chargers and 102.3 KJLH, and a dynamic warmup led by All Seasons Fitness Media`s Mega Celebrity Trainer Dion Blast! Jackson. iHeartMedia Los Angeles’ KOST 103.5’s on-air personality Ellen K and Los Angeles Dodgers third baseman Justin Turner and his wife Kourtney are honorary event hosts. ABC7 Eyewitness News anchor Coleen Sullivan will serve as the morning’s master of ceremonies. After the conclusion of the official program, participants will be encouraged to embark on a walk in the safety of their homes, backyards and neighborhoods.
In addition to the day-of festivities on Saturday, May 16, Walk & Play L.A. participants can also participate in virtual sports clinics led by Barry’s Bootcamp, Fitness Blast, LA Galaxy Foundation, LA Kings and Los Angeles Chargers during the week leading up to the event.
Walk & Play L.A. is a family-friendly community event that promotes the well-being of children in Los Angeles and celebrates the frontline heroes who keep our children safe while raising critical funds in support of CHLA. Participants may raise funds for any of the 350 specialty programs and services at CHLA that are important to them, from the Cancer and Blood Disease Institute to the Amerman Family Foundation Dog Therapy Program. This year, participants can also choose to donate to CHLA’s COVID-19 Emergency Response Fund, which was established to help CHLA procure and maintain the numerous resources needed to meet the challenges of this public health crisis. This fund provides for emergency childcare for clinical providers, free meals for doctors and nurses working around the clock, medical tests, specialized supplies, and expert care and technology.
Registration is open to individuals and teams consisting of friends, families and organizations at www.walkandplayla.org.
About Children's Hospital Los Angeles
Founded in 1901, Children's Hospital Los Angeles is ranked the top children’s hospital in California and fifth in the nation for clinical excellence with its selection to the prestigious U.S. News & World Report Honor Roll of children’s hospitals. Clinical care is led by physicians who are faculty members of the Keck School of Medicine of USC through an affiliation dating from 1932. The hospital also leads the largest pediatric residency training program at a freestanding children’s hospital of its kind in the western United States. The Saban Research Institute of Children’s Hospital Los Angeles encompasses basic, translational and clinical research conducted at CHLA. To learn more, follow us on Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn and Twitter, and visit our blog for families (CHLA.org/blog) and our research blog (ResearCHLABlog.org).
