Wild West Night for Science
More than 350 Orange County people gathered on Sept. 24 for Discovery Cube’s Wild West at the Cube annual gala, which raised more than $1.1 million for science education.
The Anaheim Ducks Hockey Club received Discovery Cube’s 2016 Arnold O. Beckman Award for its role in creating the Science of Hockey exhibit.
The Cube’s 2016 Spirit of Discovery Award was presented to Jay Witzling, former vice president and deputy program manager of Boeing’s Delta Rocket program. Witzling has been instrumental in helping secure funding for the Cube’s Boeing Rocket Lab and Mission Control exhibits and facilitated the acquisition of a Delta III rocket that’s now housed inside the iconic Cube.
Seaside Soiree
The 14th annual Crystal Cove Alliance soiree presented by The Resort at Pelican Hill was held Oct. 2 on the bluff overlooking Crystal Cove. The sold-out event drew 420 guests and raised a record-breaking $418,000 in support of the nonprofit group’s mission to preserve the cultural, natural and historic resources of Crystal Cove State Park.
Dozens of companies and philanthropists, in addition to The Resort at Pelican Hill, sponsored the event, including the Massen Green Foundation, HKA Inc. Marketing Communications, Crystal Cove Beach Cottages, Firebrand Media LLC, The Hexberg Family Foundation, Buchanan Design, Capital Group, Fuscoe Engineering Inc., McKenna European Auto Group, Opus Community Foundation and University of California-Irvine.
Guests raised their paddles during a fund-a-need program to collect $151,000 to support scholarships for K-12 students for participation in the alliance’s education programs, which focus on STEM (science, technology, engineering and math) and environmental awareness.
Mission: Romance
Microsemi; The Ritz-Carlton, Laguna Niguel; and the Inn at the Mission were among the key underwriters of the Mission Preservation Foundation’s Romance of the Mission benefit gala on Sept. 16. The event was held at The Ritz-Carlton, Laguna Niguel and drew 450 guests, netting more than $235,000 to support the preservation of the Mission San Juan Capistrano.
The event also honored longtime community partner The Ritz-Carlton, Laguna Niguel for its support of the mission’s preservation efforts.
A four-course candlelight dinner was prepared and served by hotel staff. “American Idol XIV” finalist Clark Beckham then performed renditions for the crowd, including “When the Swallows Come Back to Capistrano.”
Bits & Pieces
Wienerschnitzel franchise partners in Orange, Los Angeles, Ventura, Riverside and San Bernardino counties contributed a portion of every sold combo meal to The Literacy Project, totaling $50,000. … Nearly 300 Orange County Ernst & Young employees volunteered their time on Sept. 30 to work at local nonprofit organizations, including Big Brothers/Big Sisters of OC, Orangewood Children’s Foundation, Boys and Girls Club of Tustin, Boys Town California, California Coastal Commission, Habitat for Humanity OC, United Way of OC and YMCA of Orange County.
