Louis Zamperini Shares His Life Story on June 27th at Earl Warren Showgrounds during Benefit for United Boys and Girls Clubs
Unbroken will come to life during the United Boys and Girls Clubs of Santa Barbara County Benefit
Zamperini, the subject of the New York Times bestseller, Unbroken, the latest book by Pulitzer Prize winning author Laura Hillenbrand (author of Seabiscuit), will share his amazing story of survival and redemption. The event will include a gourmet lunch, a video of Zamperini’s life and a talk with him.
The action packed life of 96-year-old Zamperini began to gain momentum in his youth when he became a championship winning track star. He went on to participate in the 1936 Berlin Olympics where Adolf Hitler insisted on shaking his hand and complementing his fast finish. Zamperini’s athletic career was cut short when he enlisted in the Air Force as a second lieutenant. It was this chapter of Zamperini’s life that would test his true strength. During WWII, as part of a B-24 bombing crew which regularly flew long missions, the crew’s plane went down due to engine failure in the middle of the Pacific Ocean. Zamperini being one of the only survivors spent 47 days floating in shark infested waters before being captured by the Japanese Navy. He remained a prisoner of war for the next two years. It is with tremendous courage and strength that Louis Zamperini is able to share his tale of survival and redemption.
“It is such a privilege to have Louis Zamperini come share his miraculous story with our community and support the United Boys and Girls Clubs in such a unique way,” Gina Carbajal, Executive Director of the United Boys and Girls Clubs of Santa Barbara County. “There is so much we can learn from such remarkable acts of courage and determination.”
It may come to no surprise that a story as incredible as Zamperini’s has Hollywood’s ears ringing and they’ve brought forward some of their best. The screenplay is to be composed by the Coen Brothers with Angelina Jolie scheduled to direct.
Tickets to the event are $100 each and all proceeds benefit the United Boys and Girls Clubs of Santa Barbara County. For tickets or more information, please call (805) 681-1315 or visit https://ubgc.ejoinme.org/?tabid=467664.
About the United Boys & Girls Clubs of Santa Barbara County
The United Boys and Girls Clubs of Santa Barbara County’s mission is to enable all young people, especially those most in need, to reach their full potential as productive, caring and responsible citizens. Today the Clubs help over 7,000 youth throughout Santa Barbara County. Youth can come to the Clubs to be with friends, participate in sports and engage in educational activities. Children may also be referred to the Clubs by schools, counselors or other agencies as a means to gain a positive experience socially, educationally, physically and emotionally under guidance of caring adults. For more information contact Sal Rodriguez at srodriguez@unitedbg.org or call 805-681-1315.
