GL Stars Reunite for Stars and Strikes 2024!

The 20th annual Daytime Stars and Strikes was held on the weekend of Oct. 19 and 20 and featured multiple opportunities for fans to mix and mingle with the stars of Guiding Light at different events. The very first Daytime Stars and Strikes was held in 2004 where Jerry verDorn (Ross) and Elizabeth Keifer (Blake) hosted an afternoon of bowling to help raise funds for Autism.

Following verDorn’s passing in 2022, the Jerry verDorn Scholarship Fund was established to send individuals on the autism spectrum to theatre camps to help with social skills, visual cues, and communication. Every dollar raised through donations, ticket sales, raffles, and auctions goes to the Autism Society of America and the Jerry verDorn Scholarship fund. This year’s event has raised around $40,000, though the final tally has not yet been made. You can also still donate to the worthy cause by clicking here .

The weekend kicked off on the afternoon of Oct. 19 with The Four Musketeers Meet & Greet where GL stars Grant Aleksander (Phillip), Beth Chamberlin (Beth), Michael O’Leary (Rick), and Krista Tesreau (Mindy) hung out with fans and did a Q&A. Immediately following was the 20th Annual Daytime Stars and Strikes Bowling Event where fans hit the lanes with the GL actors.

In the evening, Robert Newman (Josh) hosted a Karaoke for Autism party where both the fans and stars sang. The following day, on Oct. 20, Sonia Satra (Lucy) and Kurt McKinney (Matt) hosted a New York City Harbor Cruise with a ‘20s-themed bash featuring a costume contest and dance contest!

If you weren’t able to attend this year’s event, check out some pics of what you missed in the gallery below!

1. 

   O'Leary, Aleksander, Chamberlin, and Tesreau reminisced with fans about their days as the popular Four Musketeers on GL.

2. 

   Satra looked like she was excited to get her bowling shoes on and hit the lanes with all the other stars, who had a blast hanging out with the fans and shooting for strikes.

3. 

   Keifer co-hosted the bowling event with O'Leary, who took over the duty after verDorn's passing. Klosky was in New York producing a new movie, and Tesreau flew in from the West Coast with her husband just to attend!

4. 

   Newman, McKinney, and Aleksander enjoyed being able to catch up with each other while also spending time with the loyal GL fans.

5. 

   It was a real blast from the past for longtime GL viewers with Mart Hulswit and Elvera Roussel in attendance. Hulswit was one of the actors who played Dr. Ed Bauer from 1969-81, and Roussel was Hope Bauer from 1979-83.

6. 

   Unfortunately, while we know that the event raised thousands for charity, we don't know who had the best bowling scores!

7. 

   During the karaoke party, Tesreau took to the mic to perform the Mamas and the Papas classic "Dream a Little Dream of Me" for the crowd.