Rumble for Rescues puts robots in the boxing ring for a good cause

Weighing in at 90 pounds, robot Red took the ring against robot Gold. For the next several minutes, the duo proceeded to kick, punch and fluidly combat in the caged ring until one was ultimately declared the winner.

The robot-boxing event, Rumble for Rescue, was organized by San Clemente-based Sonance Cares, the philanthropic arm of longtime tech company Sonance. While tailored for entertainment, the event’s overarching goal was raising funds for three nonprofits that help rescue animals.

Themed “The Matrix” meets cyberpunk the May 30 event, located at an outdoor venue in the Los Molinos District of San Clemente, has so far raised $500,000 (donations are still being processed) through its silent auction and paddle raising.

Four robots owned and operated by San Francisco-based REK (Robot Entertainment Kombat) participated in the fight. Also, Bob the Robot, Sonance Cares’ humanoid local philanthropy ambassador, walked around to entertain guests ahead of the main event.

“One thing I have always loved is creating experiences that people remember,” said Scott Struthers, Sonance co-founder and the creator of Sonance Cares. “I think sometimes philanthropy gets put into a very traditional box. People think of a ballroom, a dinner and an auction. Those things are great, but we wanted to ask: ‘How do we create something that makes people excited to show up?’

“The idea behind Rumble for Rescue was bringing together innovation, technology, entertainment and purpose,” he continued. “Robot fighting is fun. It gets people talking. It creates energy. But behind that excitement is something much more important, helping animals who need medical care, safe homes and a second chance. The robots might be fighting in the ring, but the real fighters are the organizations doing this work every single day.”

The three organizations benefiting from the event include Pet Project Foundation, the nonprofit rescue partner of the San Clemente-Dana Point Animal Shelter, which raises 100% of the funds needed to keep the shelter no-kill; Friends of Orange County’s Homeless Pets, which focuses on rescue, rehabilitation and adoption; and Furever Family Non-profit Veterinary Care, which helps prevent unwanted animal pregnancies with low-cost spay and neuter procedures.

Furever Family Non-profit Veterinary Care was one of the Rumble for Rescue fundraiser recipients.

(Makenzie Rae Photography)

“We wanted to support organizations that looked at animal welfare from different angles,” Struthers said. “Rescue is complicated. It isn’t just about finding animals homes, it’s about prevention, medical care, rehabilitation, shelter support and keeping families together.”

Cindy Dobbins, president of Friends of Orange County’s Homeless Pets, said her organization was honored to participate in the event.

“The support from Rumble for Rescue/Sonance Cares strengthens our rescue efforts in a very real way,” she said. “It helps us cover medical care, spay/neuter, vaccines, emergency treatment and the daily needs of the dogs we take in. This kind of support gives us the ability to say yes to more animals who need help — especially the ones who require immediate or specialized care — and to give them the chance to receive safety, healing and eventually a loving home.”

She said one of the added benefits of the event was the networking opportunities it provided.

“One of the unexpected gifts of this event was the people we met,” Dobbins said. “The connections we made at Rumble for Rescue are truly invaluable, and we hope they grow into long‑lasting relationships that continue to support the work we do and the animals we serve.”

Heidi Muther, executive director of the board for the Pet Project Foundation, said her organization’s partnership with Sonance Cares began six years ago when the nonprofit learned Struthers was very passionate about animal rescues.

“We contacted Sonance Cares and after they toured our local San Clemente-Dana Point no-kill shelter, they became incredible supporters of Pet Project Foundation and our quest to save as many animals as possible. They also have been extremely generous contributors to our largest fundraising event each September at our PPF Gala,” she said.

Pet Project Foundation is 100% donor-supported and entirely volunteer-run, so every dollar donated goes directly back to their no-kill shelter and the animals in their care, Muther pointed out.

“The donations provide spay/neuter surgeries, vaccinations, nutritious food, microchips, medications and any emergency medical treatment needed to save our animals,” she said. “Donations also assist us with our ARM (A Rescue Mission) program, where we travel to other over-crowded, high-kill shelters monthly and transfer animals who are at risk of being euthanized back to our shelter.

“We rehab, train and socialize these animals, dedicating all our resources to help them get adopted into their forever homes. We have rescued over 3,000 animals from the ARM Program alone and have saved over 20,000 animals in the last 42 years of our existence.”

Struthers said Sonance Cares, which launched in 2022, is focused around four key pillars: people, planet, animals and communities. He said that through Sonance Cares, and him personally, more than 30 nonprofits have been supported, including Rady Children’s Hospital, Friendship Shelter, Cinderella’s Closet OC, Boys & Girls Clubs, RX3 Foundation, XPRIZE, Unconditional Rescue, Second Harvest Food Bank of Orange County, San Clemente Lifeguard & Junior Guard Foundation and Family Assistance Ministries.

The Rumble for Rescue theme was “The Matrix” meets cyberpunk.

(Makenzie Rae Photography)

“On the animal and conservation side, we have helped support organizations working to protect wildlife, rescue animals and create a healthier future for our planet, including efforts connected to the Ocean Institute, Pacific Marine Mammal Center, Oceana, CARMA, Project3R and other rescue and conservation partners,” he said.

“But what has always mattered most to me isn’t the size of the organization, it’s the impact. Some of the most meaningful work happens through smaller nonprofits where a little bit of support can completely change what they are able to accomplish.”

Animal conservation is so important to Struthers that he created his own nonprofit to protect elephants, Elephant Cooperation, which is marking its 10th anniversary this year.

“When I was young, I had the opportunity to travel to Africa with my father, who was a biologist,” he said. “Those trips shaped me. I saw these incredible landscapes, wildlife and especially elephants in a way that stayed with me my entire life. Years later, I returned to Africa with my own daughter, and I expected to share those same experiences with her. But the Africa I returned to was different.”

With habitats shrinking and human-wildlife conflict increasing, Struthers saw a great need.

“I realized protecting elephants couldn’t just be about elephants,” he said. “If the people living next to wildlife are struggling, conservation will never succeed. That’s why we created Elephant Cooperation, with the belief that humans and wildlife have to find ways to coexist. Our mission became cooperate to coexist.”

Elephant Cooperation will host its “Anti-Gala — Party for a Purpose” on Oct. 17 in San Clemente. The following day, on Oct. 18, Sonance Cares will host Day of the Kids, also in San Clemente — a free, family-friendly event that will focus on bringing the community together to support children and families in need.

“The Anti-Gala represents exactly what we believe philanthropy should be: bringing people together, creating unforgettable experiences and using that energy to make a real difference,” Struthers said. “Whether it is protecting elephants in Africa or supporting communities here at home through Sonance Cares, the mission is the same — use what you have, give what you can and leave the world better than you found it.”