2025 "A Taste 4 SPORTS"
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S4EA is celebrating our 18th Annual "A Taste 4 SPORTS" on May 29th from 6-9pm at the Balboa Park Club. S4EA will be honoring our 2025 'SPORTS Person of the Year'. 200-300 guests will taste food from 15-20 restaurants, listen to the music by the ‘Beatle Trax’ band & bid on fabulous silent auction items. Thank you to the sponsors and auction donors who will make “A Taste 4 SPORTS” a financial success to help raise over $60,000 for S4EA. ​
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2025 "A Taste 4 SPORTS"
Schedule of Events
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Thursday, May 29, 2025
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6-9pm Music to band 'Beatle Trax'
Tasting from Restaurants,
Caterers & Wineries
6:30pm Master of Ceremonies -
Jerry Harris
6:45pm Honoring our 2025 'SPORTS
Person of the Year'
7:10pm Live Auction
7:50pm Silent Auction Section A
Tables Closing
8:05pm Raffle Closes
8:30pm Silent Auction Section B
Tables Closing
Proceeds benefit S4EA
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The proceeds from the "A Taste 4 SPORTS" Fundraising Event benefit SPORTS for Exceptional Athletes — a non profit sports program serving 1,400 athletes with disabilities ages 5 through adult in over 20 sports during 4 sports seasons.
Highlights Include:
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Sample Tasty Offerings from Local Restaurants and Caterers
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Listen to band 'Beatle Trax'
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Participate in the Silent & Live Auction as well as the Raffle held live in the Balboa Park Club
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Honor the 2025 'SPORTS Person of the Year'
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Meet Celebrities such as 'Mad' Mike from "Pimp My Ride"
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Enjoy time seeing & talking face-to-face with our S4EA Athletes, Families & Friends
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When: Thursday, May 29, 2025
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Time: 6:00 - 9:00pm
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Where: Balboa Park Club
2144 Pan American Rd W
San Diego, CA 92101
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Reservations: $60.00 per person
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Thank you for your support!
"A Taste 4 SPORTS"
2025 Sponsors
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Tentative 2025 Sponsors based on 2024 Sponsors
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Platinum Level ($10,000+)
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Brian & Kimberly Cox
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Gold Level ($5,000+)
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Nick Brumbach
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UDW
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Silver Level ($1,000+)
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Ahrens Family
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Gillaspy Family
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HME
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Jerry & Mary Ellen Harris Family
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Richard Harris Family
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Jackson/Snowdall Family
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Karen & Robert Kawamoto
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Greg Mitchell/Bill Randoll
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Rathbun Family
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Tipple Family
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Yates/Julius Family
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Bronze Level ($500+)
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Alvarez Family
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Cunningham Family
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Clara Downes
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Glinatsis Family
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Goldbaum Family
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Jennifer Styer/Duane MacNeilan
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Brian Miller
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Peters Family
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Super Wash & Dry Laundromat-Chula Vista
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The Arc of San Diego
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Triad Components Group
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UNICO Engineering
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Thank you to the support of our sponsors in helping to make the 2024 "A Taste 4 SPORTS" a financial success.
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We hope to get these sponsors and many more for the 2025 "A Taste 4 SPORTS".
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Sponsorship opportunities are available from $500 - $10,000.
Contact
Clara Downes
SPORTS for Exceptional Athletes
8380 Vickers St., Suite E
San Diego, CA 92111
Phone: 858-565-7432
FAX: 858-496-7309
Email: clara@s4ea.org
Sponsorship Opportunities
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$10,000 - Platinum
$5,000 - Gold Medal
$1,000 - Silver Medal
$500 - Bronze Medal
$100 - Blue Ribbon
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Method of Payment:
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Check to S4EA
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Credit Card/Paypal
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2025 Sponsorship
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The 2025 "A Taste 4 SPORTS" Needs your Sponsorship!
We would be proud to be counted among the wonderful agencies that your company so generously sponsors.
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At our "A Taste 4 SPORTS", SPORTS for Exceptional Athletes would like to recognize your contribution. The 'Sponsorship Benefits & Opportunities' sheet outlines the various Sponsorship Levels and Sponsorship Benefits, including being listed in the "A Taste 4 SPORTS" program, print & social media advertising, invitation, flyer, signage, and being listed on the S4EA website and newsletter.
SPONSORSHIP PAYMENT
After clicking the Donate Button and putting in the amount, in next screen list the purpose of your donation: "A Taste 4 SPORTS" Sponsorship
"A Taste 4 SPORTS"
2025 Restaurants
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Creative Ideas
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Guillermo's-Pepe's Street Tacos
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Thank you very much for these restaurants, caterers, wineries, and breweries who provided the delicious food & drink at the 2024 "A Taste 4 SPORTS".
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Please support them now by using take-out, deliveries, or eating at these restaurants.
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We hope to get these restaurants and many more for the 2025 "A Taste 4 SPORTS".
The 2025 "A Taste 4 SPORTS" Needs Restaurants to Donate a Menu Item
Contact
Clara Downes
SPORTS for Exceptional Athletes
8380 Vickers St., Suite E
San Diego, CA 92111
Phone: 858-565-7432
FAX: 858-496-7309
Email: clara@s4ea.org
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The 2025 "A Taste 4 SPORTS" Needs Auction & Raffle Items
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You can help make the 2025 "A Taste 4 SPORTS" a great success. We are in need of auction and raffle prize items, such as:
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Great Getaways
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Sports Memorabilia
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Gift Certificates
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Tickets
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Art
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& More
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The auction & raffle will be held live in the Balboa Park Club on May 29.
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Call S4EA at 858-565-7432 if you have any auction or raffle items that you would like to donate.
SPORTS for Exceptional Athletes
SPORTS for Exceptional Athletes (S4EA) is a community based sports program serving 1,400 athletes with developmental disabilities ages 5 through adult in San Diego County.
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The purpose of SPORTS for Exceptional Athletes is to create enhanced opportunities for people with and without disabilities to interact and form lasting bonds of friendship through shared sports and recreational activities in their community.
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SPORTS Pledge
I practice hard. I do my best...
I play with Pride.. You'll be impressed!
We are SPORTS for Exceptional Athletes.
For more Info Contact:
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Clara Downes
SPORTS for Exceptional Athletes
8380 Vickers St., Suite E
San Diego, CA 92111
Phone: 858-565-7432
Fax: 858-496-7309
E-mail: clara@s4ea.org
Web: www.s4ea.org
"A Taste 4 SPORTS" Organizing Committee
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Nicole Alvarez
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Nick Brumbach
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Mary Cunningham
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Harriet & Carl David
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Clara Downes
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Barbie Hager
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Walter Jackson
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Kathy Nelson
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Bill Randoll
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Myra Snowdall
Bill Walton talking about
"A Taste 4 SPORTS" and
SPORTS for Exceptional Athletes
2024 "A Taste 4 SPORTS"
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S4EA celebrated our 17th Annual "A Taste 4 SPORTS" on June 26th from 6-9pm at the Balboa Park Club. S4EA honored San Diego Padres Pitching Legend Randy Jones as our 2024 'SPORTS Man of the Year'. Over 200 guests tasted food from 12 restaurants, listened to the music by the ‘Beatle Trax’ band & bid on fabulous silent auction items. Thank you to the 26 sponsors and over 75 auction donors who helped make “A Taste 4 SPORTS” a financial success with over $60,000 raised for S4EA. Thank you to everyone who participated.​
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Randy Jones Honored at "A Taste 4 SPORTS" June 26, 2024
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S4EA showed a video of highlights of Randy Jones as a San Diego Padres Hall of Fame player and interactions of Randy Jones with our S4EA athletes. Ernie Martinez made the introductions of Randy Jones. Randy then spoke and S4EA presented Randy with an award as the S4EA 2024 'SPORTS Man of the Year'. Athletes and guests enjoyed talking with Randy, as well as getting pictures and autographs with Randy.
2023 "A Taste 4 SPORTS"
The 2023 "A Taste 4 SPORTS" held
June 1st at the Balboa Park Club was a great success as we honored 2023 'SPORTS Woman of the Year' Triathlete Lesley Paterson and raised $45,000. Over 200 guests sampled tastings from 13 Restaurants. Thank you to the Taste Sponsors who helped make the event a fantastic fundraiser benefiting SPORTS for Exceptional Athletes. Click here for the 2023 Auction & Raffle Winners.
2023 "A Taste 4 SPORTS" 'SPORTS Woman of the Year' Triathlete Lesley Paterson
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Lesley Paterson was born & grew up in Scotland. At age 7, she became the only girl on the boys' Stirling County Rugby Club, becoming captain of the team & winning the Scottish Championship at age 10.
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When no longer permitted to play rugby, Lesley took to running & then to Triathlons. Lesley moved to San Diego with her husband Simon Marshall. She received her master's degree in film theater from San Diego State University in 2005.​
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Lesley soon discovered extreme triathlons with XTERRA and finished 2nd at the 2009 XTERRA World Championship. She then went on to win the 2011, 2012 & 2018 XTERRA Triathlon World Championships.
Lesley Paterson Highlights:
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Won the 2011, 2012 & 2018 XTERRA Triathlon World Championships
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Won the 2015 XTERRA Costa Rica Triathlon with a broken shoulder
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Wrote screenplay to ‘All Quiet on the Western Front’ which won several Academy Awards this year
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Won best adapted screenplay at the British Academy of Film & TV Arts.
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Won Scottish Championship as only girl in rugby
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Lived in San Diego & received master’s degree in theatre at San Diego State University​
Lesley Paterson Film Career
'All Quiet on Western Front'
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Lesley loved the anti-war novel 'All Quiet on the Western Front' and in 2006 bought the film rights to the book which she had to renew every year. In a guest essay for 'The Hollywood Reporter', Lesley wrote that "I believed in this story. All Quiet was the first war novel I had ever read that was completely stripped of its genre catnip — heroism and adventure. It is a story about hopelessness and helplessness, about betrayal and shock, about losing one's own humanity until the only thing you have left is war".
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In 2016 Lesley entered the Costa Rica XTERRA Triathlon with a broken shoulder. She raced the swim stage using only one arm, finishing the stage 12 minutes behind. She moved up to second place in the bike course, and finished the race as the winner. She needed to then use the $6,500 prize money to meet the option payment for the film rights to All Quiet.
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In 2023, Lesley commented, "Everything in the film industry is about timing and 16 years ago, WW1 was not in the zeitgeist. It was not a popular war to cover at the cinema and certainly not from the German side".
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The rest is history. Lesley wrote the screenplay to "All Quiet on the Western Front' which won several Academy Awards this year and won the best adapted screenplay at the British Academy of Film & TV Arts.
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Source: Wikipedia 'Lesley Paterson'
2022 "A Taste 4 SPORTS" Came Back Inside The Balboa Park Club
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After more than 2 years with the Coronavirus Pandemic, S4EA hosted inside at the Balboa Park Club for our members the 15th Annual "A Taste 4 SPORTS" Gala Fundraiser on Thursday, June 2nd from 6-9pm which featured food & wine from 17 restaurants, personal chefs, caterers & wineries. Over 200 guests mingled with notable local & sports figures, enjoyed live music with 'The Night Owls' & bid on an exquisite array of auction items. S4EA honored “The Fastest Cyclist on Earth” Denise Mueller as our 2022 ‘SPORTS Person of the Year’.
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Thank you to the 27 sponsors and 63 auction donors who helped make "A Taste 4 SPORTS" a financial success with over $40,000 raised for S4EA. Thank you to everyone who participated.
'SPORTS Person of the Year' Denise Mueller Highlights:
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183.9mph Paced Bicycle Land Speed Record Holder (2018)
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US Women’s Human Powered Bicycle Record holder (non-motor paced) at 70.6mph (2019)
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15 National Cycling Championships (Mt. Biking, Road & Velodrome)
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Completed over 55 half marathons & 9 marathons on 4 continents
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Denise trains Paralympic cyclist Amy Dixon in tandem bicycling at SD Velodrome in preparation for 2024 Paris Paralympic cycling
Proceeds benefit S4EA
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The proceeds from the "A Taste 4 SPORTS" Fundraising Event benefit SPORTS for Exceptional Athletes — a non profit sports program serving 1,400 athletes with disabilities ages 5 through adult in over 20 sports during 4 sports seasons.
2022 Taste Highlights:
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Sample Tasty Offerings from Local Restaurants and Caterers
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Listen to Great Music with 'The Night Owls'
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Participate in the Silent & Live Auction as well as the Raffle held live in the Balboa Park Club
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Honor “The Fastest Cyclist on Earth” Denise Mueller as 'SPORTS Person of the Year'
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Meet Celebrities including NBA Hall of Fame basketball player Bill Walton & 'Mad' Mike from "Pimp My Ride"
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Enjoy time seeing & talking face-to-face with our S4EA Athletes, Families & Friends
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When: Thursday, June 2, 2022
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Time: 6:00 - 9:00pm
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Where: Balboa Park Club
2144 Pan American Rd W
San Diego, CA 92101
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Reservations: $60.00 per person
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Thank you for your support!
2021 Drive-Thru
"A Taste 4 SPORTS"
Fundraising Event
Because of the Coronavirus Pandemic, SPORTS for Exceptional Athletes could not hold an indoor event with several hundred people. Instead, S4EA held a Drive-Thru “A Taste 4 SPORTS” event for S4EA members on Thursday, June 17th from 5-8pm at S4EA/North Shores. About 190 people in 80 cars tasted delicious food & drink provided by 8 restaurants and caterers. Guests viewed 25 classic cars coordinated by 'Mad' Mike & Hotrod Holly. NBA Hall of Fame basketball player Bill Walton chatted with the guests. The 'Los Tecolotes' band performed on stage, wandering minstrel Joe Castro played his guitar & Steph Johnson sang with S4EA athlete Isaac on the 200" big screen TV. Guests participated in the raffle & auction.
The Drive-Thru Taste was a great success with nearly $35,000 raised for SPORTS for Exceptional Athletes.​
Classic Cars at 2021 Drive-Thru Taste
Drive-In/Pick-up
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Sample Tasty Offerings from Local Restaurants and Caterers
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Listen to Great Music
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Participate in the Raffle
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Meet Celebrities including NBA basketball Hall of Fame player Bill Walton
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Talk with 'Mad' Mike & view his Classic Cars on Display
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See our S4EA Athletes, Families & Friends during the Drive-Thru
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When: Thursday, June 17, 2021
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Time: 5:00 - 8:00pm
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Where: S4EA/Arc North Shores
9575 Aero Dr., SD 92123
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Reservations: $50.00 per person
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Thank you for your support!
Welcome Bill Walton to Drive-Thru Taste
2020 Alternative Fundraiser to "A Taste 4 SPORTS"
"A Taste 4 SPORTS" is an annual gala fundraiser benefiting SPORTS for Exceptional Athletes, a non profit SPORTS program for people with developmental disabilities.
SPORTS for Exceptional Athletes would normally be hosting our 13th annual “A Taste 4 SPORTS” gala fundraiser on Thursday, May 28, 2020 from 6:00 - 9:00pm at the Balboa Park Club in beautiful Balboa Park for 350-400 guests. However, because of the Coronavirus (COVID-19) Pandemic, S4EA cannot hold a fundraising event with several hundred guests. Therefore, S4EA is having an Alternative Fundraiser to “A Taste 4 SPORTS”. Because “A Taste 4 SPORTS” is our largest fundraiser, S4EA needs your support now more than ever for this Alternative Fundraiser.
Donate to S4EA
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By donating, S4EA can provide the same high level programming once the Pandemic is over. For more information, please call S4EA at 858-565-7432.
'Beatle Trax' Band plays at
"A Taste 4 SPORTS"
Reminiscing About 2019 & Prior "A Taste 4 SPORTS" Fundraising Events
The 12th Annual "A Taste 4 SPORTS" Gala Fundraiser took place on May 30, 2019 at the Balboa Park Club. Reservations were $60 per person which benefitted a truly extraordinary SPORTS organization SPORTS for Exceptional Athletes which in 12 years has already served 1,400 athletes with developmental disabilities in over 20 separate sports. "A Taste 4 SPORTS" is a unique event that features food from some of San Diego's best local restaurants, appearances by notable sports figures, music, a fabulous silent auction, and fun. Last year's event featured food and wine from 23 restaurants, personal chefs, caterers & wineries. Let us tell you about the food over the years – savor delicious dishes such as Sushi, San Diego's Best Spaghetti, Gourmet Dessert Pancakes, Empanadas, Authentic Street Tacos, Tomato Bisque, Exquisite Salad Cups, Rigatoni Creamona, authentic crusty French Bread, cheeses, home made pizza, toffee, a decadent chocolate fountain and much more.
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Kris Dielman Videos Promoting 2018 Taste
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Videos About
'SPORTS Persons of the Year'
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2018 Honoree Chargers Kris Dielman talking about honoring Gulls Willie O'Ree at 2019 Taste
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2016 Honoree SD Sockers Kraig Chiles
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2013 Honoree Monique Henderson talking about SDSU Basketball Coach Steve Fisher honored at 2014 Taste
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"A Taste 4 SPORTS"
Videos
S4EA Executive Director Walter Jackson is MC at Alternative Taste
Zoom Door Prize Drawing with S4EA Athletes at Alternative Taste
Steph Johnson and Isaac singing at "A Taste 4 SPORTS"
Bill Walton Message at "A Taste 4 SPORTS" in May 2020
'SPORTS Persons of the Year' Videos
2019 - Willie O'Ree
Hockey Hall of Fame/SD Gulls
2018 - Kris Dielman
San Diego Chargers Superstar
2017 - Candice Wiggins
WNBA Basketball Star
2016 - Kraig Chiles
San Diego Sockers Superstar
2015 - Meb Keflezighi
Marathon Champion
2014 - Steve Fisher
SDSU Head Basketball Coach
2013 - Monique Henderson
Olympic Track Relay Gold