Big weekend for Hanna Boys Center
Hanna Boys Center goes gala and all-access this month with two very different events: a gala fundraiser on Saturday, April 23, followed by a free Community Celebration on Sunday, April 24.
An Evening with the All-Stars Under the Big Top, with an old-fashioned circus theme reminiscent of The Greatest Showman, begins with a circus parade into an Italian big top circus tent, where acrobats, aerialists, magicians and more will entertain them. The event is the creation of Velocity Arts & Entertainment.
“We are inviting everyone to run away to the circus with us, just for one night,” says Chief Executive Officer Cameron Safarloo. “It’s going to be a magical and heart-warming evening and an opportunity to support this organization which serves so many boys and their families.”
Tickets for the “Evening with the All-Stars Under the Big Top” gala are priced at $350 and can be purchased at hannacenter.org/gala.
The next day, on Sunday, April 24, Hanna will open its campus for a free Community Celebration from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. Visitors can participate in family-friendly activities throughout the campus such as an on-site chapel service, nature walks, exhibits of fun student projects and circus activities. Local community organizations that partner with Hanna will be highlighted as well, and Hanna will share information on its upcoming programs and developments that will benefit the community as well as its on campus students. Link to free registration.
“There are a lot of great things happening and coming up at Hanna Boys Center, and we’re excited about this opportunity to share them with our community,” Safarloo said. “If you’ve ever wondered what goes on at our quiet campus, this is your chance to find out,” he added.
Founded in 1945, Hanna Boys Center, at 17000 Arnold Drive, is a teen residential treatment center with an on-campus accredited high school serving 9th through 12th grade students with at-risk youth programs. Proceeds from the gala will help fund new and expanded services, Safarloo says.
The majority of Hanna’s residents have experienced high levels of adversity and toxic stress, including abuse, neglect, household dysfunction, family strife and community violence. Many of the boys come from underserved and disadvantaged communities, mostly in Northern California. Boys who choose to attend Hanna must demonstrate a high level of motivation to create positive, permanent change in their lives.
