With the stunning background of Cabo San Lucas, the 21st Annual Stars & Stripes Tournament, a three-day fishing tournament, golf tournament and music festival, with an exclusive VIP Night to kick off the weekend, benefited seven charities and raised more than $3 million for worthy youth charities in Orange County, San Diego and Mexico. This year’s tournament raised more funds than any other year in the fundraiser’s 21-year history.
A Stars & Stripes Beneficiary
South Bay Community Services (SBCS) was honored to be selected as a beneficiary for the 21st Annual Stars & Stripes Tournament.
More than 600 people, including 44 SBCS friends and supporters, joined in on the four-day adventure held from June 22-25 at the Hilton Los Cabos Beach & Golf Resort in Mexico in support of seven youth organizations: South Bay Community Services (SBCS), Big Brothers Big Sisters of Orange County, Miracles for Kids, Orangewood Foundation, HomeAid Orange County, Tilly’s Life Center and Building Baja’s Future. The 2017 Honorary Charities included: Tragedy Assistance Program for Survivors (TAPS), PLASTICOS Foundation and Halo for Freedom Warrior Foundation.
This year’s sponsors include SASCO, The Anaheim Ducks, Allen & Susan Boerner, The Fruchbom Family, The Honda Center, Majestic Realty and Miller Environmental. SBCS sponsors included Sprouts Chula Vista & Eastlake, Manpower, and Marine Street Financial.
The tournament also hosted a Mi Escuelita family for a weekend of activities and sun.
"I can say with confidence that the Stars & Stripes Fishing, Golf and Music Festival stands alone with a one-of-a-kind approach to fun and fundraising,” said “Thanks to the army of remarkable individuals who give their time and resources each year, we have been able to generate nearly $30 million since the event’s inception to help children in need.”
A volunteer board of directors, “The Knights,” manages the event along with Stars & Stripes Board Member Tim Ryan, CEO of the Honda Center and executive vice president of The Anaheim Ducks; Dick Gebhard, Found at Pinnacle Land Management; Al Baldwin, chairman of Baldwin and Sons; Jeff Cunningham, senior vice president of Construction Management Services at Shea Properties; Larry Kirkenslager, senior vice president of pre-construction for Sasco Electric Inc.; Charles Ruck, partner at Latham & Watkins LLP; Erik Anderson, president of Anderson Financial, and Zlatko Zadro, president of Zadro Products, Inc.
The Impact of Stars & Stripes
As a Stars & Stripes beneficiary, charities not only receive financial assistance to expand their programs but also increase public awareness about their cause through the Stars & Stripes network. Stars & Stripes Board Chairman Dick Gebhard came up with the idea when he was a board member for Big Brothers Big Sisters of Orange County. He wanted to create a fundraiser unlike any other by combining fishing, golfing and music. He came up with the unique event title to refer to the youth as the stars of the fundraising tournament and the most common type of fish found in the Sea of Cortez, the striped marlin.
Stars & Stripes will support the enhancement and expansion of SBCS' Mi Escuelita Preschool.
The Stars & Stripes Experience
The premier Hilton Los Cabos Beach & Golf Resort served as the luxurious home base for the 2017 Stars & Stripes Tournament, with guests enjoying incredible views, private terraces and direct access to one of the area's only swimmable beaches.
At sunrise, each day of the tournament, anglers launched into the abundant waters off the southern tip of the Baja Peninsula, a fertile environment for plenty of sport-fish species. The Sea of Cortez also provided the backdrop for golfers playing at Mexico’s premier courses– Chileno Bay Club, Cabo Real Golf Club, Palmilla Golf Club and Quivira Golf Club.
This unique fundraising event, produced by Kapture Vision, has developed a reputation for attracting famed musicians and bands to perform. This year’s event featured an all-star lineup including Kenny Loggins, Kelly Hansen of Foreigner, Mickey Thomas of Jefferson Starship and Cameron Rafferty.
In a stunning act, a veteran from the HALO for Freedom Warrior Foundation, Dana Bowman jumped from a helicopter releasing an American Flag into the sky while musician, Cameron Rafferty, sang “The Star-Spangled Banner”.
The event featured a live auction including an all-access pass to Academy of Country Music Awards in Las Vegas with Shawn Parr, "The Ambassador of Country Music," star of Nash Nights Live (and the voice of Stars & Stripes Tournament, the Golden Globes and the American Music Awards) held at the MGM Grand in April 2018 (Sold for $35,000), and an intimate whale watching experience in Laguna Ojo De Liebre, Baja California (Sold for $25,000).