During the 11th annual Gold Meets Golden event, Olympic and Paralympic athletes met Hollywood talent to benefit Angel City Sports, a Los Angeles organization that helps support youths and adults with physical disabilities.
The fun Beverly Hills fundraiser was held at the home of the French consulate general and was hosted by Olympic athlete Nadia Comăneci, who has co-chaired the private party with actress Nicole Kidman for the past decade.
“It is always an honor to be part of Gold Meets Golden,” said Angel City Sports and founder, Clayton Frech. “This event helps us raise much needed funds for our programs, but also helps raise awareness for our work. We use sport to positively transform the lives of kids and adults with physical disabilities and are beyond grateful to the entire team, sponsors, and volunteers that make this magical event happen every year.”
Frech has had a longstanding partnership with co-founder Charley Cullen Walters, who started the platform with journalist Scott Orlin in 2013.
“Gold Meets Golden has evolved so much over the years and in 2024 we’re most proud to see the Angel City Sports children we met at ages 5-10 now grown up and Paralympic-bound for the Olympics in Paris!” Walters enthused.
The event featured a special synchronized swimming musical performance by AQUABATIX to Mark Ronson’s now famous “Barbie” soundtrack. Gold medalist Scott Hamilton was presented with the first ever Midas Torch “Golden Legacy Award,” for his 40 years of excellence and service to the Olympic community by fellow champion Kristi Yamaguchi.
The history of the Gold Meets Golden fundraiser would not be possible without the support of their founding and presenting partner Coca-Cola, who is also the longest contiguous partner of the Olympic and Paralympic Games since 1928, Walters noted.
“We were delighted to again welcome top Paralympian athlete Roderick Townsend-Roberts, who is a Coca-Cola Ambassador and his Olympian wife Tynita Butts. They are shining examples of the culmination of kids being encouraged to discover sports at a young age, as Angel City does.”
Also, The Boiling Crab put together an outdoor crab popup, which featured a plethora of their tasty items, and gave guests a gift card to check out their restaurant.
Here are some photos from the event:
“We created an outdoor crab cookout complete with some of our fan-favorite seafood dishes,” said Randell Nuguid, head of brand partnerships. “Bringing together Hollywood’s best with some of the greatest athletes from across the world, attendees returned to our pop-up throughout the afternoon, while we were serving crab legs and lobster rolls.”
Pet food brand Nulo was also a sponsor, gifting celebrities, influencers and athletes some treats for dogs and cats.
“Nulo’s decision to sponsor Gold Meets Golden was driven by our passion for supporting athletes and the recognition of the profound bond between these individuals and their pets,” said CEO Michael Landa. “This event presented a unique opportunity to celebrate the convergence of the worlds of sports and entertainment, while also highlighting the incredible achievements of Olympians and Paralympians. Our experience was nothing short of inspiring!”
Landa loved meeting the extraordinary athletes, including Paralympians Townsend and Trenton Merrill. “Their stories, especially about the special relationships they share with their dogs, deeply resonated with me. These relationships perfectly embody the Nulo philosophy of superior nutrition and health for pets, which supports their owners’ active lifestyles.”
Landa felt that Nulo’s time at GMG was an “unforgettable” experience that reinforced their commitment to supporting athletes and their furry friends in their endeavors to reach peak performance and health.
“Meeting these athletes highlighted the incredible impact that supporting up-and-coming children athletes with disabilities can have. Their commitment to using their platforms to encourage and uplift young talent is a testament to the spirit of the Gold Meets Golden event, and it aligns perfectly with Nulo’s mission to inspire a healthier lifestyle for pets and people alike.”
Abby Aboitiz, CEO of AI Wellness, was equally thrilled to be a part of the fundraiser, where she and her company helped introduce AI to the event on many levels.
“We carefully selected products from the AI Wellness Marketplace to feature in the AI Wellness Lounge, encouraging gifting and donations to support worthy causes. Among the standout products were N101 Nitric Oxide for blood flow, Red Light Therapy for inflammation, Lifesource Water for hydrogen-infused hydration, and gift certificates from Skin Perfect Medical clinic. Minky Couture, with its mission to provide comfort to those in need, resonated deeply with us and became a highlight of GMG, as everyone loved the blankets.”
In addition to showcasing these products, AI also customized mirrors for both the participating brands and GMG, leveraging their extensive network to promote ongoing support for charitable initiatives.
“Prior to the event, we collaborated with medical professionals such as Dr. Raphael Gonzalez, Prof. Dr. Ernst R Von Schwarz, and Susan Shaffer to create their digital avatars,” said Aboitiz. “These endorsements were seamlessly integrated into our AI Wellness Mirrors, that helped generate unlimited content to support The GMG initiative, including its journey leading up to the Olympics.”
Stark Fitness also was a sponsor, as the company is always looking for charity partners who can not only benefit from their donations but the work they do, noted ceo Todd Vande Hei.
“Because GMG benefits athletes, and Paris is right around the corner, we jumped at the opportunity to optimize the health of a few of the Olympians,” said Vande Hei. “By running labs and DEXAscans, we are able to identify areas of opportunity to lead our sponsored athletes to a state of peak health, which will enable them to recover more quickly from training and perform better at the Paris Olympics.
At the event, Vande Hei connected with paralympians like Merrill and Ezra Frech, both of whom are being sponsored at Stark.
“We gifted them both a metabolic intake, including all of the costs of the doctors visits and labs. We’re also covering the cost of health coaching up until they leave for Paris. The health coaches will hold their hands through the process of implementing nutrition and lifestyle changes, which are informed by the diagnostics and are designed to support their training. We will likely find opportunities in both the macronutrients they’re eating and the micronutrients, which should have a profound impact on performance.”
GMG will hold a special event at the Cannes Lions in June and in Paris, at the Olympics in July.
Another way for a sponsor to support Angel City is by becoming a sponsor in the gift bag. “All of our attendees were so excited to leave with the bags, and many posted about them on social media,” said Shay Gipson, who is GMG’s director of partnerships.
“GMG always supplies one of the most golden gift bags during Hollywood awards Season, and this year was no exception!” she added. “In addition to exclusive products from Coca-Cola, Paris 2024, Nulo, KISS USA, Aspire Magazine, Artisan L’uxe, Skin Perfect: Dr. Kwok Gideon DO Nebulyft, The Boiling Crab, Montana Mex, Samreens Vanity, Minky Couture, and N1o1 by Pneuma Nitric Oxide, it was a highlight to be able to offer exclusive goodies direct from the Paris 2024 Organizing Committee (a plushie and hat of the ‘Phrygian’ mascot symbolizing freedom and revolution and a ‘Paris 2024’ beret, which the Angel City kids loved wearing!) and a limited edition new Paris Olympics hat from Coca-Cola.”
Attendees also received a bottle of Bio-Beauty Dynamic Cell Recovery Serum from Artisan L’uxe and a dual-ended lipstick from Sarmreens Vanity, as well as a variety of fashion nails from KISS USA. “Plus, Chef Eduardo Garcia who had a fun cooking station at the event, included his Montana Mex spice trio, so guests could take some of his amazing cooking home.”
GMG will hold a special event at the Cannes Lions in June and in Paris, at the Olympics in July.
“This is a full-circle moment of the efforts of so much hard work,” added Walters. “We love how Gold Meets Golden will be bringing together multiple brands in several countries and backgrounds this summer, where GOLD is the commonality revered and strived for by all.”
At their upcoming Cannes and Paris events, Coca-Cola will display a history of past Olympic torches and a sustainable art sculpture of the Eiffel Tower, constructed from recycled Cola-Cola cans.
