1,400 Walk to Help Abused Kids

More than 1,400 moms, dads and kids walked in teams along the Strand on  Saturday to raise money for the prevention and treatment of child abuse, but one of the biggest fundraisers was Kosmo, a 7-year-old labradoodle.

Team Kosmo—consisting of Anita Bronstein, Kosmo and some family and friends—were one of the hundreds of groups that collectively raised $138,000 in the 23rd annual Richstone Pier-to-Pier Walkathon to benefit Hawthorne-based Richstone Family Center.

Richstone combats child abuse and offers other family services such as after-school programs and parenting classes.

Participants walked the 3.4 miles from the Manhattan Beach Pier to the Hermosa Beach Pier and back.

"This was a great event, a day that brought the community together to raise money and awareness for the prevention and treatment of child abuse," said Roland Ramirez, executive director of Richstone.

Kosmo is an essential helper in Richstone's services. He and Bronstein, a Manhattan Beach resident, are part of a reading program for children.

"Having him there just makes them feel a little more comfortable," Bronstein said. "I think it's really helped their reading skills."

For the last three walkathons, Bronstein has asked for donations by distributing pictures of Kosmo and the children who read to him at Richstone.

"It's a great organization. It's my passion," Bronstein said as kids who frequent Richstone dropped to their knees to hug Kosmo. "These kids are the greatest."

The event takes place each April during National Child Abuse Prevention Month.

Some participants—such as Ellen Lauricella and Alexa Young from the team Manhattan Beach Moms—walked to raise money and for personal reasons. Their team formed three years ago after a death.

"One of our friends lost a newborn," Young said. "It's our way to remember her."

After the majority of teams made the loop around a cone at the Hermosa Pier and returned to Manhattan Beach, Richstone representatives announced how much the groups had raised and handed out plaques for the top fundraisers.

Wells Fargo raised $38,000, the highest overall. Team Kosmo topped the community category with $8,095. When combined, Hermosa View Elementary School and Hermosa Valley School raised $3,434, taking third in their category.

About $25,000 more is expected to come in from residual payments and online PayPal donations, said Madeleine Drake, director of major gifts for the Richstone Family Center. Last year the event raised a total of $121,000.

Elise Johnson, a Manhattan Beach resident and social worker, admires the work that is done by Richstone year-round.

"As a social worker I have referred many families to Richstone's many programs," Johnson said. "Whether it's for parenting education, after school diversion programs or their transitional housing for emancipated youth, Richstone provides a multitude of empirically grounded and clinically sound services to the South Bay community."