Reflections from BP 11.0: Playing the Hand We’re Dealt
There are moments in life that feel bigger than the room you’re standing in. Last night was one of them.
Together, as a community, we raised over $860,000 and counting. But what stands out far beyond the number is what it represented. It was the most powerful outpouring of love, engagement, generosity, philanthropy, and unity that I have ever experienced. It was a living, breathing example of what happens when people come together with one shared mission and choose to play their hand with purpose.
And when you really pause to think about it, it becomes even more powerful. With 850 attendees in the room and over $850,000 raised, that means on average every single person in attendance contributed roughly $1,000 toward changing lives. That is not just generosity. That is stewardship. That is belief. That is philanthropy at its finest.
That was the heartbeat of the night.
Our theme, Playing the Hand We’re Dealt, isn’t just a concept. It’s reality for every individual and family we serve. Life doesn’t always deal a perfect hand. In fact, for many in our community, the hand they’ve been given is filled with uncertainty, adversity, and unimaginable challenges. But what last night proved is that when we come together, we can change how that hand is played. We can turn struggle into strength, isolation into community, and uncertainty into opportunity.
One of the most profound privileges of the evening was sharing the stories of our client honoraries, Rosa Tomazic, Adrian Valenzuela, and Mary Navarro. Their stories are not just stories. They are testimonies of resilience, courage, and the human spirit’s ability to rise. To bring their journeys to life through film, and to watch a room of 850 people lean in, feel, connect, and reflect, that is something I will carry with me for a long time. We didn’t just tell their stories. We honored them. And in doing so, we reminded every person in that room why we do what we do.
To our 850 attendees, thank you. Your presence mattered. Your energy mattered. Your belief in this mission mattered. You didn’t just attend an event. You became part of something bigger than yourself.
To our volunteer groups from University of La Verne volleyball, football, and media department, Claremont High School football, and Stork Elementary, you were the heartbeat behind the scenes. The time, effort, and care you poured into creating a seamless experience did not go unnoticed. You showed what it looks like to serve with intention and with heart.
To Auction Event Solutions (AES), thank you for your leadership in hosting our registration and silent auction. Your team created an experience that was smooth, efficient, and engaging from the moment guests walked through the door.
To Chuck Dukas and his team, you brought an energy that elevated the entire room. Your ability to command the room, create momentum, and inspire generosity in real time transformed our live ask into something unforgettable.
To Aaron Baker, thank you for setting the tone for the evening in such a powerful way. Your message grounded us in purpose and reminded every person in that room of the deeper mission at hand. You gave the night meaning before a single dollar was raised.
To Citrus, you once again delivered at the highest level. From audiovisual production to entertainment, every detail was executed with excellence. And when Night Shift took the stage, they didn’t just perform. They brought the night home in a way that left people energized, connected, and celebrating together.
To Aaron Fidak and the Over the Top Rentals team, you created an environment that felt immersive, intentional, and alive. You have a gift for transforming space into experience, and last night was a reflection of that at its very best.
And to my team, my committee for BP 11.0, there are no words that fully capture what you mean to this foundation. A completely volunteer group giving your time, your energy, your creativity, and your heart for the benefit of others is one of the most incredible things I’ve ever witnessed. You didn’t just plan an event. You built something people could feel.
To our Program Committee, Teri Goodwin, Jenna Hardy Surina, Ashton Wray, Brian Goodwin, and Hal Hargrave Sr., what you created was nothing short of extraordinary. The intentionality behind every moment, every transition, every story was felt. You didn’t just organize a program. You led people through an experience that changed hearts.
To our Volunteer Committee, Hailey Scott, Jake Scott, and Britnee Heckman, you were the engine behind the entire experience. The unseen moments, the constant movement, the willingness to do whatever was needed to make the night seamless, you made the complex feel effortless.
To our Auction Committee, Toni Frazier, Catie Hargrave, Alex Hargrave, Corey Hargrave, and Candis Horowitz, you brought the heat. This was one of the most diverse, creative, and expansive auctions we’ve ever had. There was truly something for everyone, and the energy around it spoke for itself.
And right alongside that, our Magazine Committee, led by Kristen Douglas, brought our story to life in written form. The magazine was not just pages. It was emotion. It was reflection. It was a beautiful representation of who we are and why we exist.
To our Logistics and Seating Committee, Lydia Montano and Lorie Hargrave, you created the structure that allowed everything else to shine. Every seat, every placement, every movement throughout the room was intentional because of you.
To our Social Media Committee, Bella Hargrave, thank you for capturing this night and extending it beyond the ballroom. You allowed people who were not in the room to still feel what took place.
To the Apex Imaging Services team, thank you for your selflessness in every detail. From setup to teardown and everything in between, you handled the details that most people will never see but that made all the difference.
To the TPS team, thank you for representing the heart of our mission so beautifully. Walking the red carpet alongside our Be Perfect Foundation supported clients, welcoming guests as they arrived, delivering thank you packages to our sponsors, you showed what it means to live this mission, not just speak about it.
To my friends and family, thank you for showing up the way you always do. Whether it was setting up, breaking down, or stepping in wherever needed, your presence and your willingness to serve means more than you know.
And on a personal note,
To my mom and dad, thank you will never be enough. The time, the belief, the sacrifice, and the stewardship you have poured into this dream is the foundation of everything we are building. This exists because of you as much as it does because of me.
And to my wife, there are no words. Your sacrifice, your patience, your strength, and your willingness to give not only to me but to so many others is something I carry with me every day. This mission is ours, and the impact we are able to make is rooted in who you are.
Last night was proof.
Proof that when people come together with a shared purpose, extraordinary things happen. Proof that generosity changes lives. Proof that even when the hand we’re dealt isn’t what we would have chosen, we can still play it in a way that creates something meaningful.
We raised over $860,000 and counting. But more importantly, we strengthened a movement.
And the deepest thank you of all goes to our donors, supporters, sponsors, and community partners. Your continued investment and engagement in this mission is what makes all of this possible. As I stood in that room and looked around, I saw something bigger than an event. I saw alignment. I saw organizations, leaders, and partners who carry their own vision and their own purpose choosing to come together.
There is something incredibly powerful about that.
When shared visions and shared missions come together, when we choose to support each other, amplify each other, and engage with one another through meaningful initiatives, the impact multiplies. It grows beyond what any one of us could ever do alone.
You are not just giving. You are changing lives. You are stepping into someone else’s story and helping them see that what they thought was an incomplete hand was actually filled with possibility all along. And through your generosity, the Be Perfect Foundation becomes that ace card, the piece that helps turn a hand into something powerful, something whole, something that begins to look a lot like a royal flush.
And as I reflect on everything that took place, one thing is clear.
We’re just getting started.
So to everyone reading this, here’s my challenge to you.
Wherever you are in your life right now, whatever hand you feel like you’ve been dealt, stay in the game. Play it with intention. Play it with courage. Play it with belief. Because the most powerful hands are rarely built all at once. They are built over time, through the cards you choose to hold, the ones you choose to let go of, and the moments you decide to go all in when it matters most.
Keep yourself in the game long enough to see what great cards are still coming your way.
Because when you do, you might realize you had everything you needed all along.
And if last night showed us anything, it’s that when the right people come together and play their cards with purpose, something extraordinary is always on the table.
I already can’t wait for BP 12.0.
Let’s go for gold together.
