It’s time to make plans to attend—and donate to—Fiesta del Sol, celebrating its fourth annual run for East Valley Sol charities. The event is scheduled for 6 p.m. Saturday, Oct. 10, at Tempe Diablo Stadium.
East Valley Sol is a foundation started in 2006 by a group of baseball players from Corona del Sol High School’s 1993 5A state baseball championship team and their spouses to create worthwhile opportunities to impact the lives of young people in need.
The non-profit organization’s first effort to raise money for a friend’s daughter, who was diagnosed with a rare form of bone cancer, was so successful that the members have expanded their efforts every year.
These undertaking have allowed them help several more young people and other nonprofit organizations, including Little League.
Fiesta del Sol, held every fall, is East Valley Sol’s biggest fundraiser. And, says Tim Vasquez, one of the founding members, this year’s event is going to be bigger and better than ever. The goal is to raise $100,000, said Vasquez.
East Valley Sol’s Old Balls Golf Tournament sold out when 144 golfers signed up, adding $25,000 towards the group’s goal. A Bowl for the Soul bowling event helped buy 300 backpacks for Children First charter school that used to be Thomas J. Pappas School for the Homeless.
One of the organization’s other goals from this year’s event is to earn enough money to build a family locker room for the Tempe YMCA, providing space for fathers, for instance, to take their daughters into the locker room to change for a swimming class.
Currently, the only option is to have them go by themselves into the women’s locker room or take them into the men’s locker room to change.
Several organizations have already contributed items for the program, including Budweiser which will donate the ale, and Outback Steakhouse, which will cater the event. Static, a local band, will be perform.
Highlights expected at this year’s event include more than 30 sponsor signs lining the fences at Tempe Diablo Stadium; 400-plus guests gambling at 15 blackjack and three craps tables, a silent auction and a raffle for numerous donated gifts.
Items already donated include a guitar signed by Alice Cooper and a week in Sedona.
A new twist has been added this year: guests don’t need to drive themselves to and from the event. Fiesta planners have arranged to have three 12- 14-seat vans and a 36-passenger bus, all with driver included, to pick up passengers at a location and drop them off after the event. The vans are just $300 and the bus is only $500.
So get a group together—family, friends and/or neighbors—and have fun knowing a safe ride home awaits.
Transportation is limited to first come, first served, so email timvasquez@cox.net, as soon as possible if you are interested.
For business owners who would like to donate goods or services to the auction, items are being accepted until Sept. 25. Call 602-325-8216 or email info@eastvalleysol.org or timvasquez@cox.net to arrange a donation.
Several options are available if you would like to attend this event.
Guests must be 21 and older.
Various types of admissions can be purchased online at http://www.eastvalleysol.org by clicking through to register. Individual tickets are $40 online or $50 at the door.
Once on the website, click the “Add Ons” button to purchase poker chips or make a donation even if you can’t attend.
Also available are Amigos sponsorships, at $500, which include 20 admission tickets, signage on East Valley Sol’s master banner and a company logo on marketing materials, and Padres sponsorships, at $1,000, which include 40 admission tickets, signage on the master banner, advertising opportunities at the event and on the website, and a 4 x 4 color banner displayed at the event.
A final note: Many know that, until this spring when Corona won the 2009 5A-I state baseball championship with a 25-7 record, the players who started this foundation comprised the only other Corona team to win a championship.
After amassing a 24-9-1 record in 1993, many of the players went on to play college and professional baseball.
I hope Fiesta del Sol fundraiser will achieve their goal because i know it can help a lot.