The third annual Walk and Play L.A. event held by Children’s Hospital Los Angeles (CHLA) had a Dodgers presence as Justin Turner and his wife Kourtney were named the honorary hosts. The couple was previously recognized by the local hospital by being added to their esteemed Spotlight Wall.
Among other efforts to provide for those in need, the Turners have made countless visits and financial contributions to CHLA’s Helping Hands Fund. Their names are alongside the likes of the L.A. Kings, Oak View Group CEO Tim Leiweke, and Warner Bro’s. Entertainment.
On Saturday, the couple was greeted by cheers as they arrived at L.A. Memorial Coliseum. “It’s pretty special for them to think of us and invite us out here to be part of the opening ceremonies and ribbon cutting.
“It’s really cool to be with Mary Hart and Burt (Sugarman; Hart’s husband) and in that category of representing Los Angeles and being a part of the Children’s Hospital.”
Along with using the event to raise funds for patients and families, CHLA was celebrating a third straight year of being named the top pediatric hospital in the western United States, according to U.S. News & World Report Best Children’s Hospitals rankings released this week.
“It’s incredible. The programs they have there are amazing,” Turner said of CHLA. “We’ve been going there for four or five years now, making visits, seeing different kids in different parts of the hospital. Everyone there is off the charts.
“The relationships that they build with the kids and families, you can see it when you go in there. They really care. They care about the kids and families and they do such a great job of taking care of them.”
After Turner spent nearly a half-hour posing for pictures, signing autographs and engaging with fans, he and Kourtney took the mainstage to offer words of encouragement and thank the crowd before the ribbon cutting.
More than the 1,500 participants in Walk and Play L.A. 2019 completed a 1.86-mile loop around the Coliseum and Exposition Park. The day raised over $300,000 in donations.
In addition to the walk, sports activations held by the Ontario Fury, L.A. Kings and Chargers.
Musical group JAGMAC, Camryn, School of Rock, DJ Dense, Chargers Girls, L.A. Kings Ice Crew, Bailey from the Kings, Stryker from the Fury and Rams cheerleaders provided live entertainment throughout the morning.
Fundraising pages for any Walk and Play L.A. participants will remain active and accept donations until Wednesday, July 31.
