Compton Jr. Posse Youth Equestrian Program to Host 7th Annual Gala Fundraiser on Saturday, May 17, 2014 at 6 p.m. at the Los Angeles Equestrian Center
Los Angeles, CA (PRWEB) April 21, 2014 -- The Compton Jr. Posse (CJP) will host its 7th Annual Gala Fundraiser on Saturday, May 17, 2014 at 6 p.m. in the Ballroom at the Los Angeles Equestrian Center, 480 Riverside Drive in Burbank. The “Cowboy Couture” themed event will feature actress and producer Patricia Heaton-Hunt (The Middle, Everybody Loves Raymond) as the Master of Ceremonies. Olympian Will Simpson will serve as host and awards presenter. Business woman and philanthropist, Jami Morse Heidegger will be honored with the Equestrian Excellence award. Joe Edmiston, Executive Director of the Mountain Recreation and Conservation Authority (MRCA) will be honored with the Community Visionary award. The honoree for the Starlight Entertainment Award will be announced in the coming weeks.
For 25 years, the Compton Jr. Posse’s award-winning program has given inner city kids a framework for success by teaming them with horses and highly skilled instructors including Olympic Gold Medalist Will Simpson. CJP provides year round after school programs using equestrian activities to inspire excellence in academics and to help develop responsibility, discipline and self-esteem.
Patricia Heaton Hunt is an award-winning actress currently starring in the ABC comedy The Middle, as Indiana housewife Frankie Heck. Previously, she starred in the hit television series, Everybody Loves Raymond. During that series she was nominated seven times and won two Emmy awards for her portrayal of Debra Barone. Ms. Heaton was most recently seen live on stage as Stella in the Second Stage Production of The Scene, for which she garnered a Lucille Lortel Award nomination.
Patricia is an avid supporter of CJP and dedicates much time and effort to support and promote the important work that is being done by the organization.
Actress Portia De Rossi was last year's Equestrian Excellence Award honoree. This year she will serve as an awards presenter for the event. De Rossi is known for her role as Lindsay Funkie in the Emmy-Award winning sitcom "Arrested Development." She previously starred as the enigmatic lawyer Nelle Porter on the hugely successful show, Ally McBeal, as well as the ABC comedy "Better Off Ted" and many others. De Rossi is an avid equestrian.
Will Simpson made the history books by winning the Olympic Show Jumping Team Gold Medal at the 2008 Olympics in Beijing, China riding Carlsson vom Dach. Simpson made his mark on the sport early in his career by setting an outdoor high-jump record of 7 feet, 914 inches on Jolly Good in 1985. Simpson has won more than 50 Grand Prix in his career, including some of the most prestigious competitions in the world including Spruce Meadows Masters in Calgary. For almost two decades, he has been active on the California Grand Prix Circuit. In 2002, he won the West Coast League with a score of 91 – third highest total in the league's history – out of a maximum of 100. He won the Del Mar International Grand Prix four straight years, captured the 2006 CANA Cup, the 2007 Ariat Grand Prix and has represented the United States five times in the World Cup Finals. For the past six years, Simpson has volunteered his time to Compton Jr. Posse, inspiring and coaching students whenever possible.
Jami Morse Heidegger is a business woman and third-generation heiress to Kiehl's Since 1851, a popular skin care line. She was responsible for Kiehl's 20 percent a year growth and sales of $40 million in the late 90s. After selling Kiehl's to L'Oreal, Heidegger focused on a new skin care line Retrouvé. Heidegger's longstanding commitment to the equine world includes a stint as owner of Show Stopper Magazine as well as philanthropic projects including the Compton Jr. Posse.
Joe Edminston is the Executive Director of the Mountains Recreation and Conservation Authority, a state agency established by the California Legislature in 1980. For three decades, he has been one of the most important public trust defenders in California, protecting public access to the state’s beaches. He has also been instrumental in providing CJP students with the opportunity to gain valuable outdoors experience through the MRCA Jr. Rangers program.
In 2010, CJP partnered with the Mountains Recreation and Conservation Authority (MRCA) to provide additional outlets for students. The MRCA Jr. Rangers program is designed for children with little or no experience in the natural world and offers a combination of environmental science, outdoor skills, experiential learning and leadership activities. In addition to classes and camping trips, Junior Rangers must complete twenty-four hours of community service, in both urban areas and at local parks and beaches. Graduates of the program earn a Jr. Ranger certification and are eligible to apply to careers with the California State Rangers. In 2012, CJP's Jr. Rangers represented the USA at the World Ranger Congress in Arusha, Tanzania.
Tickets to the CJP Gala start at $200 per person and tables of ten at $2,000. For additional information on ticket pricing and sponsorship opportunities please visit, http://www.comptonjrposse.org
For media inquires regarding the Compton Jr. Posse's 7th Annual Gala Fundraiser please contact Tamara White, at (310) 409-8273.
Tamara White, Compton Jr Posse, +1 (310) 409-8273, [email protected]
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