About 100 people attended a party celebrating El Grupo’s five-year birthday and honoring its founders Ignacio Rivera de Rosales and Daniela Diamente last night.
El Grupo board president Mark Mandel said the board wanted to show their appreciation for the couple and everything they have done for the riders.
“This started with five or six kids from City High School and they are coaching 25-30 kids now,” he said. “It is an incredible thing that has happened in five years and it is time that we honor them.”
Mandel said he was reminded about a band from the 1960s called Blood Sweat and Tears.
“That is what Ignacio and Daniela do for these kids,” Mandel said. “It’s blood, sweat and tears. It is the least we can do as the board to help them out and keep this thing going.”
Diamente compared El Grupo to having kids.
She said you think your kid will never turn five and then one day you wake up and he is five. At the same time, she says it feels like it’s been longer than five years.
“I don’t remember life before El Grupo,” she said.
Diamente is looking forward to El Grupo’s future and believes they will see even more growth in the next five years.
It is going to be funny looking back at some of those pictures when everyone has forgotten that there was a solar eclipse that evening! hehe
Glad to see so many turned out to honor this great group and their wonderful founders. Wish I could have been there.
To view more photos from the evening:
http://www.esensphotography.com/Community-Events/Celebrate-Ignacio-and-Daniela