gap intelligence's Drives for Rides has offically turned 6! The Sixth Annual Drives for Rides benefitting the Emilio Nares Foundation (this year offically known as the Sith Annual Drives for Rides in honor of Star Wars Day) has come and gone, quicker than the millenium falcon make the Kessel Run.
I have been fortunate to be a part of five Drives for Rides and Tournament Chair for the last three, but The Sith Annual Drives for Rides has offically landed at the top as my favorite of all. Why is it my favorite? Get ready for my top 6 reasons the Sith Annual Drives for Rides was the best yet!
Six
The Sxith Annual Drives for Rides fell on Star Wars Day! Luck of the calendar? Sure. But were we going to let that pass us by? Definitely not! And so Drives for Rides joined the Dark Side. At the Sith Annual Drives for Rides, not only was the force strong with (some) of our golfers, but this year we were fortunate to play host to several folks from a galaxy far far away. Local members of the 501st Legion and Rebel Legion joined us in the morning to ensure The Sith Annual Drives for Rides was up to Dark Side standards. Even Kylo loves a photobooth.
Five
The Sith Annual Drives for Rides had nothing but sunshine for our golfers. This was a much welcome upgrade from the stormy conditions and turentual downpours seen in previous years. Some might go so far as to say that it was just like Yavin 4 out there! What's that saying, sun's out golf ball canons out?
Four
Something that stood out every step of the way this year, was that in striving to do great for ENF, we found and were privilieged to be put in touch with people and local business who also wanted to do great for their community. Drives for Rides truly has the BEST golfers, the BEST, the BEST donors, and the BEST sponsors all coming together to support the Emilio Nares Foundation. Seriously, it is like we hit a trifecta of awesome.
Fun #drives4rides fact: The Sith Annual Drives for Rides played host to MORE golfers this year, than any year before. We had 144 golfers, completely selling out the course!
Three
I get to work for a company that closes it doors COMPLETELY so that all employees can go out and do great for our community. No reports, no emails, no slack messages. When gappers talk about being values-led and doing great for our community, we truly mean it. Drives for Rides season at gap intelligence means all gapper hands on deck. At The Sith Annual Drives for Rides, EVERY single gapper was out of the office and on the course! gappers organized and ran games, passed out lunch, photographed the entire day, DJ'd, and took care of all of the heavy lifting that it takes to run a golf tournament, dinner banquet, and silent auction. gappers are pretty awesome! I am proud of our team, our company culture, and just grateful to get to work for an amazing company that not only encourages us to give back, but literally shuts down and rolls up our sleeves in order to do great for and in our local community.
Two
Our CEO, Gary Peterson, took a break from moonlighting at Sea World to join us once again in full Dolphin costume. Why a Dolphin? It is a long story, but if you want to hear it please give us a call and ask for Gary. If there is enough outreach, maybe we can talk him in to webinar. While Gary the Dolphin always gets a laugh, it was the reaction of a very special dinner guest that brought along a few happy tears and truly made it magical. The Sith Annual Drives for Rides was honored to have a family that ENF serves with us that night.
Mykaela has been receiving chemotherapy twice a week, for almost a year. That is more that 100 trips to and from Mykaela's treatment appointments in just the last year alone. Her family doesn’t own a car and they travel with Ride With Emilio to all of her medical appointments. Little Mykaela is a ROCK STAR, and it turns out she's also totally into dolphins! Families like Mykaela's are why we Drives for Rides. Seeing Mykaela's little face light up for Gary the Dolphin, well that was just the best.
Ok Melissa, you have shared some fun stories from the day and probably the most moving moment of all time involving a man in a dolphin costume, what more could make the Sith Drives for Rides the top of the top?! Drumroll please…..
One
My number one reason why the Sith Annual Drives for Rides is my favorite Drives for Rides of all time: gappers, golfers, local businesses, community members and Sith Lords from a galaxy far far away all came together at the Sith Annual Drives for Rides in support of an amazing cause and ended up raising over $60,000 for the Emilio Nares Foundation. That is $60,000 which goes directly to providing over 1,200 rides to and from a child's cancer treatment appointments at no cost to families in need.
1,200 rides to and from a child's life saving cancer treatment appointments in clean, safe, and maintened modes of transportaton.
On May the fourth 2018, gappers, golfers, local businesses, community members and Sith Lords all came together at Drives for Rides to save lives.
In the last six years, the Drives for Rides tournament has raised over $250,000 for the Emilio Nares foundation.
A special THANK YOU (Wookie Translation: uughguughhhghghghhhgh huurh) to all of the Sith Annual Drives for Rides Sponsors and Donors!
Metro Steel
The Doyle Family
Logan & Kate
Bwood Insurance
Silvergate Bank
Park & Rec
Alcott Insurance Agency
Conntential Maritime
Matthew Red
DavisReed Contruction
Corrao Group
Avritek
gap Print Team!
gap dev team
Marine Street Financial
Tom Young
Nii Ahene
Anon
Amanda Silber, Loan Officer and Sonja Stolzenberg, Realtor Keller Williams
Danielles Mom
gap Research Group
Al Rex Realty
Belak-Berger Family
BPO Media & Research
Hughes Marino
Paylocity
Benefit Pro
The DeWitt Companies
William Capobianco D.D.S.
Agajanian Group @ Whissel Realty
Stalwart Communications
get1Free Marketing
Signal Yacht Group
Dawn Diskin
Monello
Bill Marsh
BE Polished – A Savvy Nail Affair
Ariel Jaramillo
Andy Meyers
Mike LaNeir
Craig Gunther
Karen Hartzman
Suzanna George
Thor Eakes
Smart & Final
Philip Akre
Elizabeth Lowder
Carly Zanoni
Dave Thompson
Wendy Williamson
Tim Freudenberger
Howard Boltin
Finances for Life
Joel Meredith
Malinda & Bob Harris
Ron Wangerin
Kennedy Golf
Emerald Ise
Pogi's Pet Supplies
Camp Run- a – Mutt
Le Big Dog Couture
Wonderland Farms
CorePower
Point Loma Tea
The Oil Hive
San Diego Gulls
Banzai Bar
Knockaround
Original Grain
Camp Excel
Badger Balm
Contigo
Pura Buena Onda
Viva Pops
Mariposa Ice Cream
Mastiff Sausage Company
L.A. Chargers
Point Loma Sports Club
Spark Cycle
Rhythm Superfoods
Refill Coffee
West Bean
Heartwork Coffee Bar
Magnolia Bakery
Waypoint Public
The Home Brewer
Regal Beagle
Mastiff Sausage Company
Carrillo Pottery
Kimberly Design
Heartwork Coffee Bar
Simply Sassy by Borga
La Jolla Skin Care
SD Dance With Me
San Diego Escape Room
Sephora
Fit Mill
Fit4Mom
SD Dance With Me
Marina Kitchen
San DIego Soccers
Camp Xcel
San Diego Padres
Seaworld
La Jolla Playhouse
The San Diego Natural History Museum
Mission San Juan Capistrano
Marina Sailing of San Diego
USS Midway
USA Freestyle Martial Arts
Polish Me Nails
Remember to Breathe
Yoga Six
Club Pilates
Mastiff Sausage Company
Barona Resort & Casino
Golf Mart
GolfTec
Beauty by Belleza
Skin by Loreen
Soul Happy Studio
mikrospa
The Lab: A Salon
Rhodan & Fields
Mariposa Ice Cream
Pala Resort & Casino
Callaway Winery
Orfila Winery
Personal Yacht Outing
Michael Pender Racing
Grand Pacific Palisades
Encinitas Ranch
Golf Mart
Pacific Hospitality Group
Lolita's
L' Auberge Del Mar
TCL
La Jolla Skin Care
Hello Birdie Nail & Lash Lab
OB Massage
Facebook
Knockaround
Badger Balm
Vavi Sports Club
Mission Bay Aquatic Center
Life's Rad
Alastin
Pauma Valley Country Club
TaylorMade-Adidas Golf Company
If inspired, donate to www.enfhope.org.
