Clayton Kershaw won’t pitch for the Los Angeles Dodgers until September, but his work in the community continued this weekend with the eighth annual Kershaw’s Challenge Back to School Bash at the Dream Center.

Clayton and Ellen Kershaw were supported by the Los Angeles Dodgers Foundation being a brand partner again, contributions from Skechers and, as in the past, Justin Turner was also on hand to help distribute 2,500 filled backpacks. school supplies.

The free community event also included a zipline, carnival games, rock climbing, Dodger dogs, haircuts and more for the kids and families in attendance.

After having to adjust to a behind-the-wheel event that the Kershaw family were only able to attend virtually due to the coronavirus pandemic (COVID-19), this year’s Back to School Bash brought a refreshing sense of normalcy .

“It’s amazing we’ve made eight now,” said Kershaw. “The reason we’re doing it is because of the Dream Center. The Dream Center is amazing at what they do to help the community through all kinds of different things.

“Especially in the last year and a half, what’s been going on with COVID and stuff like that, to get kids excited to go back to school and stock up, we know how much our daughter likes to stock up. It will just be a beautiful day. It’s great fun to hand out backpacks.

“The hardest part was that the children couldn’t go to school. I think that’s one of the hardest things, accepting that not everyone can go to work and things like that, it’s been a tough time for everyone.

“So if we can get back to a sense of normalcy, get the kids to school and be able to hand them out backpacks and get them excited, it will be a fun day.”

Turner happy to join Back to School Bash

Turner, who is heavily involved in the Dream Center with his wife Kourtney, was a regular at Kershaw’s Challenge Back to School Bash, but as Kershaw put it, this year’s event had added significance.

“I think the exciting part about the kids is knowing that they’re going to start learning in person again,” Turner said. “Go back to class, start going out with their friends again.

“To be able to be here, support Clayton and Ellen, Kershaw’s Challenge, and hand out these backpacks is amazing. You see the excitement, and it’s really cool this year with all the different colored backpacks. Kids have a choice, and that’s really cool too.

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