Silver Tie Gala raises over $100k for mountain athletes with major injuries
High Fives Foundation annual fundraising dinner in Reno celebrated the accomplishments of athletes in recovery
On April 29, 2016 the High Fives Foundation hosted a formal gathering at Dolan Lexus in Reno that brought together distinguished guests from the Reno/Tahoe communities and beyond.
The event of nearly 250 attendees celebrated the accomplishments of Tahoe’s High Fives Foundation, a nonprofit that gives grant funding to athletes in mountain communities with brain injuries and spinal cord injuries.
Dinner was catered by local chef Mark Estee in the show room at Dolan Lexus located on South Virginia Street. Community health leaders Renown Health and Spine Nevada were platinum sponsors for the fundraising gala.
Over the course of the night, the High Fives Foundation premiered two films about High Fives Athletes. The first film was about Tony Schmiesing who is the only quadriplegic athlete to heli ski in Alaska and ride the 22-foot X Games Super Pipe.
The second film was about Jason Abraham, a Tahoe skier and photographer who suffered a spinal cord injury at Squaw Valley in April 2015.
The High Fives organization also uses the gala format to announce their annual Community Five Award. This award goes to five individuals recognizing their achievements as positive leaders within our community.
The Year’s Recipients:
Tyler Lightcap
Squaw Valley | Alpine Meadows
The Abraham Family
Alec Tuscany
Jesse Murphy
“Every person there can feel the power in the room,” said High Fives Foundation Executive Director Roy Tuscany. “It’s the power of positivity. It’s the power of motivation and determination. It’s people helping other people, and making a huge difference.” Tuscany, 34, started the Foundation in 2009 after the support he received from the community for his own recovery from a spinal cord injury. He’s replicated that kind of support for 105 athletes in the history of the organization.
That day, April 29th, marks the ten year anniversary of Tuscany’s spinal cord injury that catalyzed the founding of the Foundation.
The event raised over $100,000 for the High Fives Foundation, supporting their mission to give grant funding to athletes in recovery from life-altering injuries.
