The La Mesa Park & Recreation Foundation is holding its La Mesa Rocks Gala & Golf with the gala being held on Saturday, Sept. 6 from 6-9 p.m., with the golf tournament on Sunday Sept. 7, starting at 7:30 a.m. at Riverwalk Golf Resort.
Foundation Executive Director Misty Thompson said the Foundation put this event together eight years ago, and the reason for La Mesa Rocks is to raise equipment for the parks and playground equipment.
“We have had seven successful years and are looking forward to reaching eight,” she said. “This year we added a golf tournament to go with it, which is new and exciting. Over the past few years, we were able to raise enough funds that we finished Collier Park. We opened Collier Park in February of this year. Through the Foundation we were able to fund the playground equipment, a tile wall, fitness equipment. In 2019 we opened Vista La Mesa Park, and we funded that equipment with shade equipment. Much of this thanks to our sponsors.”
Thompson said at Vista La Mesa Park there is an EDCO Tot Lot truck for children to play on, as EDCO was a major sponsor. Thompson said the Foundation also funded La Mesita Park’s playground in 2019.
“That is a lot in thanks to sponsors and donors, and these fundraisers that we have every year,” she said. “That is the reason that we do it. We want to be able to put playgrounds out there. We recognize the benefits of play and the role it plays in childhood development. And the self-confidence children get playing out in the playground, interacting with other kids, social interaction skills. Our goal this year is to raise funds for play equipment for Aztec Park, and moving forward, as we provide play equipment, is that we have shade over everything that we add.’
Thompson said last year, at Allen Airways Flying Museum, its funds went to shade structures and will be adding a shade structure over the tot lot at MacArthur Park, hopefully to be installed next year.
Email friends@lamesaparks.org for information on sponsoring the events.
For more information about La Mesa Rocks Gala & Golf, visit www.cityoflamesa.us/1728/La-Mesa-Rocks.
