Stars and Stripes? free gala to benefit charity

In each of the last three years, Stars and Stripes Gymnastics academy celebrated their runaway success by throwing an open house gala on National Gymnastics Day.
This year their fourth celebration will provide the same free food and entertainment as in the past and also benefit the Children’s Miracle Network of Beaumont hospitals.
The festivities run from noon to 4 p.m. on Aug. 7 and take place in the parking lot in front of Stars and Stripes, which is located at the corner of White Lake and Andersonville Roads.
‘We always have such a great turnout for this event; we wanted to find a great cause to go with it,? said Brian Foster, co-owner of Stars and Stripes. ‘We like to give back to the community and the community has been great to us over the past four years.
The Children’s Miracle Network and Stars and Stripes were introduced to one another by the United States Association of Gymnastics. Stars and Stripes competes in the USAG. The CMN has been in partnership with USAG since 2002. The USAG has raised $20,000 for the CMN since the beginning of their relationship.
‘We are always trying to branch out to the Clarkston area. (Stars and Stripes) was so enthusiastic about our participation. We will be manning a booth at the event and be selling bracelets and taking donations,? said Laura Purtell, manager of the CMN.
Some of the main attractions of the day are: the Stars and Stripes Junior Olympic Competition Gymnastics team’s exhibition, professional face painting, a 40 by 60 foot inflatable obstacle course, food and drinks? all provided free of charge.
According to Foster, 100 percent of the proceeds from the event go to the CMN.