The Jewish Federation & Family Services’ Solomon Society raised $500,000 at its gala, Late Night with Solomon Society: Comedy for a Cause.
The event was held at the City National Grove of Anaheim and featured actor and comedian Paul Reiser.
The Solomon Society is co-chaired by father-and-son businessmen David Stoll and Michael Stoll, both of Newport Beach. It raises funds to support the Irvine-based Jewish Federation & Family Services.
The Jewish Federation & Family Services provides people in need a variety of services, including Silver Streak, which gives rides to older people who can no longer drive.
Individual sponsors included Mike Morhaime, chief executive of Activision Blizzard Inc.; Joel Moskowitz, chief executive of Ceradyne Inc.; Jeffrey Margolis, chairman emeritus of The TriZetto Group Inc.; Richard Matros, chief executive of Sabra Healthcare REIT Inc.; Robert Friedman, chairman and co-founder of Auction.com; and Ralph Stern, founder of CareCredit LLC.
Corporate sponsors included Leisure Capital Management Inc., Wolfe & Wyman LLP, SingerLewak and others.
Girls Scouts
Irvine-based Girl Scouts Orange County raised $218,000 during its Celebrate Leadership Gala, held at the Island Hotel in Newport Beach.
The event honored 12 women who are business and community leaders: Victoria Collins, Sophie Hall Cripe, Janet Toll Davidson, Kristina Dodge, Suzanne Huffmon Esber, Tamara Fairbanks, Kathryn Cenci, Judy Koyama, Heidi Miller, Tricia Raymund, Barbara Roberts and Sudi Shoja.
About 300 people attended the event, co-chaired by Dana Agamalian and Lee Ann Canaday.
Guests were greeted by a custom mint-green Fiat, provided by Costa Mesa-based Orange Coast Fiat. The cars were adorned with a Girl Scout sash and decals. Thin Mint martinis were served during the silent auction.
Sponsors and underwriters included Wells Fargo Advisors; Applied Medical Resources Corp.; Kaiser Permanente Orange County; Tricia Raymund and daughter Mary Raymund; C.J Segerstrom & Sons LLC; South Coast Plaza; Dana and John Agamalian; and many others.
Make-A-Wish
The inaugural Make-A-Wish gala, held at The Balboa Bay Club & Resort in Newport Beach, raised $150,000.
The Tustin-based Make-A-Wish Orange County and Inland Empire chapter grants the wishes of children with life-threatening illnesses.
Avery Pond, a 3-year-old girl with cancer, was honored at a Renaissance-themed event, and granted her wish to be a princess, complete with gown and throne.
Frank Shankwitz, founding member of Make-A-Wish America, spoke about Chris Greicius, the inspiration behind the founding of Make-A-Wish. Shankwitz also told of granting the first official wish for Frank “Bopsy” Salazar, who wished for a trip to Disneyland. Bopsy’s wish helped inspire the relationship between Walt Disney Co. and Make-A-Wish.
Boxing Fundraiser
The inaugural Fight For A Cause boxing event raised $26,000 for HomeAid Orange County.
Irvine-based HomeAid Orange County is the charitable arm of the Building Industry Association. HomeAid OC builds and renovates shelters for nonprofits.
More than 400 people attended the fundraising event, held at Urban Arena in Costa Mesa.
The boxing matchups featured senior executives from Irvine Company and Rancho Mission Viejo LLC, and homebuilders Ryland Homes, part of The Ryland Group Inc., and Shea Homes, part of J.F. Shea Co.
Homebuilding presidents Richard Douglass of Ryland Homes and Bob Yoder of Shea Homes boxed the first match, followed by executives Dave Conley from Irvine Co. and Paul Johnson from Rancho Mission Viejo.
Two professional bouts featured Matt Kadian vs. Alvaro Morales and Giovanni Santillan vs. Peter Haro.
Vital Link
Costa Mesa-based Vital Link Orange County has received $100,000 in grants since July 1.
Donations and grants have come from businesses such as Corinthian Colleges Inc., Allergan Foundation, Orange County United Way, Bank of America Corp., Southern California Edison Co. and Edwards Lifesciences Corp.
Vital Link provides hands-on career exploration for high school students.
Mind Award
Mind Research Institute honored Costa Mesa-based Emulex Corp. as corporation of the year for its support of math education programs.
Emulex has donated more than $1 million to Santa Ana-based Mind Research Institute’s Orange County Math Initiative program since 2009.
The company helped Mind reach its goal of raising $5 million to bring math programs to OC’s 107 neediest schools.
