Fighting childhood cancer: From left to right: Coast Dan Imbagliazzo, Coast Event Coordinator Robert Maynez, Congresswoman Janice Hahn, Master of Ceremony NBC Weathercaster Fritz Coleman, Event Director Judith Blahnik.
ILWU Walk the Coast organizers had two goals for this year’s event: get more locals to participate and raise more money than last year. Both of those goals were achieved. Walk the Coast is an ILWU, coastwise event dedicated to three principles – to raise awareness and funds for cancer charities, unite the union and work with the community.
This year over $100,000 was raised by ILWU members in Los Angeles, Seattle/Tacoma, San Francisco/Oakland, Port Hueneme, Vancouver and San Diego. The Los Angeles, San Francisco/ Oakland, Port Hueneme, and San Diego locals raised money for Alex’s Lemonade Stand, which fights childhood cancers; the Seattle/Tacoma events raised money for the Pancreatic Cancer Action Network (PanCAN) and Vancouver Walk the Coast, chaired by Rod O’Hearn raised money for the Ovarian Cancer National Alliance. The Coast Longshore Division donated a total of $7,500 to ILWU Walk the Coast–$2,500 to each of the charities.
“This was another fantastic event with the ILWU working with the community for a great cause. What was great about this year’s event was that we had more locals organizing events in their community,” said Coast Event Chairman Dan Imbagliazzo. “What is important is not how big or small the events are but that our union—up and down the coast—is working together to do something good for people in our community.”
The Los Angeles event was held on August 10th at Outer Harbor 54/55 in San Pedro. The event affair featured a full day of entertainment. The program started with a performance by the San Pedro High School Marching Band and the “Walk a Mile for Alex” tribute. Family entertainment included games, face painting, a fire department hook and ladder, a fire boat water show, six fighter plane flyover, a special op helicopter and police patrol car on exhibition, live bands, a magician and juggler. The Master of Ceremonies this year was local NBC weathercaster Fritz Coleman and the event was opened up by LA City Councilman Joe Buscaino.
A silent auction featured a hot air balloon ride at the 2013 Albuquerque Balloon Fiesta and hotel stays in San Francisco. Also helpful to fundraising efforts this year were the funds raised by Los Angeles/Long Beach Casuals who raised $3,000 and a Tri- Local Poker Tournament organized by members Sidro Felix (13) and Richard Harriet (94) with 108 players from Locals 13, 63, 94, and the community that raised $5,660.
Port Hueneme and San Francisco/Oakland organized fundraising walks. The Bay Area event was hosted at Local 34 and also featured a car show and raffle. The Seattle/Tacoma’s fundraiser was held at the Foss Waterway Seaport. The day-long event featured carnival games, great food, a silent auction, a bouncy house and live music from the band Stay Grounded. The Tacoma Fire department and Foss Tugs—which is staffed with deck hands from the Inlandboatmen’s Union (IBU) entertained the crowd with a water show.
“Longshoremen are very generous people,” said Local 23 President Scott Mason. “This is a great event because it gives ILWU members the opportunity to embrace their own cause, coast wide. We need to get the younger people used to giving back to the community through charitable contributions— that’s a part of our culture and we need to pass that tradition along.”
The ILWU volunteers who have been organizing these events the past two years have faced a sharp learning curve in running a coastwise fundraising event, however, Walk the Coast has been a great success. Walk the Coast has raised tens of thousands of dollars for PanCAN and thousands for the Ovarian Cancer National Alliance.
“The ILWU joined the $100,000-plus level sponsorship club for Alex’s Lemonade Stand which places the ILWU logo next to the logo of Fortune 500 companies like Kohl’s, Omni Hotels, and Walgreen’s on the charity’s website” said Coast Event Coordinator Robert Maynez. “That is pretty impressive for a labor union. That is in addition to last year’s accomplishment of reaching the ‘Top 100 fundraisers list’ nationwide for all fundraising efforts for Alex’s Lemonade Stand Foundation.”
In just two years, ILWU Walk the Coast has raised over $200,000 for cancer charities. Imbagliazzo said that the ILWU Walk the Coast event will continue to gather momentum and build on the experience and success. “This is just the beginning,” he said.