Photos by Rich Schmitt/Staff Photographer
By LILY TINOCO | Reporter
Teen Cancer America, a national nonprofit organization founded by rock icons Roger Daltrey and Pete Townshend from The Who, hosted its third annual Rock ’N‘ Polo at Will Rogers State Historic Park on Saturday, June 11.
The event raised funds and awareness for the TCA mission, which is to develop specialized facilities and services for teens and young adults fighting cancer.
“We’re celebrating our 10th anniversary as a charity … [and] this is our third year here in the Palisades, which we love,” said Michelle Aland, director of development and partnerships for Teen Cancer America. “The charity works to bring young people with cancer together to show them that there’s support and people that care. The event is to raise funds for the charity … and then to also raise awareness.”
Aland said TCA worked hard to create a family-inclusive polo event that featured activities and festivities for all ages, including face painting and puppy petting, corn hole, wine tasting, a Charlotte Tilbury Glamour Bar, photo booth, and more. She said approximately 300 people attended the event.
“It’s a really lovely event where parents can go and have a great day, and watch polo and have a nice glass of wine, and then the young people have a safe place to play and enjoy the day,” she said to the Palisadian-Post. “It was a little bit of a festival and a little bit of polo, a little bit of rock and roll music … It’s a really fun day for everyone.”
Guests were offered tea, a sandwich and salad buffet, and sweet treats while enjoying the polo matches and live music.
Throughout the day, there was also a silent auction and raffle that featured a bevy of prizes, including a tambourine signed by Daltrey, tours of Napa Valley, the Amalfi Coast or a Dublin Castle, a signed Los Angeles Clippers hat, a private yacht cruise in Marina del Rey, and gifts from Caffe Luxxe, The Draycott and more.
A number of Palisades Charter High School students volunteered their time at the event, and Palisades-based Serendipity Flowers provided its floral services.
“We have lots of local support,” Aland shared. “It’s really a local community event. We call it ‘Polo with a Purpose.’”
She said TCA was still tallying its final total of the amount raised, and that was not determined yet.
For Palisadians who missed the day, Aland said an event might be in the works for October.
“Stay tuned,” she concluded.
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