Novato Gymnastics Boosters give $25,000 to city, cite 1,200 meet attendees and upcoming Novato Classic

Carrie Walsh, president of the Novato Gymnastics Boosters, presented the organization's annual 2025 donation of $25,000 to the city during the Jan. 27 Novato City Council meeting. "We hosted, across our meets, over 1,200 attendees in 1 year last year," Walsh said, and she invited council and the public to the Novato Classic starting Feb. 8.

The boosters credited a close partnership with the city's Parks and Recreation staff and the program's volunteer coaches for sustaining a year-round pipeline of athletes from toddlers through high school. Walsh said the program is one of the few city-sponsored competitive gymnastics teams in the country and described the donation as a "reinvestment into the city that has given us so much."

Council members and city staff responded with public thanks. Councilmember [name withheld per transcript label] noted the scale of the program and the volunteer effort required, and others said the boosters provide long-term benefits to youth who move on to college or careers. City staff invited residents to attend the Feb. 5 State of the City event for additional updates on city programs.

The donation will be processed through the city's normal acceptance and accounting procedures. Council gave the boosters a round of applause during the meeting and thanked staff for supporting the partnership between the city and the gymnastics program.