On May 6, the Boys & Girls Club of Burbank and Greater East Valley’s gala took guests into a 1920s time capsule when they stepped through the doors of Lakeside Golf Club. The event honored Warner Bros. Discovery, the media and entertainment parent company of Warner Bros., and the iconic studio’s 100th anniversary this year.
After being greeted by flappers at the entrance, guests were able to try their luck at the casino tables, enjoy martinis and a meal, watch performances from the Boys & Girls Club dance group and members of the deaf and hard-of-hearing program, as well as a special tribute to Warner Bros., and take part in a live auction that showcased over 150 items, including Los Angeles Dodgers suite tickets for 20 guests, a tour of Jay Leno’s garage and a round of golf at Lakeside Golf Club with former NFL running back Justin Watson. The host for the evening was NBC4 morning news anchor Lynette Romero.
“The gala is our largest fundraiser of the year and a great opportunity to showcase our diverse programs and talented club members, as well as to thank the community for their support,” says Shanna Warren, the nonprofit’s CEO. According to Warren, honoring Warner Bros. Discovery at this year’s gala was an easy decision. “Warner Bros. has been on our board for over 25 years, and they have done so much for our members and their families,” she says. “Most recently, they made a capital donation to renovate a chapel at our new location and with their support, we turned it into a state-of-the-art, 93-seat theatre that we use for our performing arts programs, as well as for our staff trainings. We also share it with the other nonprofits in our community.”
The Boys & Girls Club of Burbank and Greater East Valley serves more than 4,200 children a day in the community by providing them with a fun, safe place to learn and grow after school and during summer, spring and winter breaks. All proceeds from the event went directly to education programs, including after-school enrichment, services for deaf and hard-of-hearing students, creative arts, athletics and more.