Compiled by Kelly M. Ryan
Dick and Marilyn Vitek of Dana Point donated $1 million to create the Vitek Institute for Robotic Surgery at Mission Hospital. Vitek is former chair and chief executive of Fotodyne, which was the first company to make laboratory instruments for DNA research. Vitek also published more than 30 scientific articles and textbook chapters as well as discovered two new chemical compounds. The institute will use Sunnyvale-based Intuitive Surgical Inc.’s da Vinci Surgical System, which allows doctors to operate from remote locations through robotics.
The University of California, Irvine, Institute for Genomics and Bioinformatics will receive $5.6 million over five years from the National Institutes of Health. The money will be used to continue training students in the application of advanced computer and information technologies to the biological and medical sciences.
UC Irvine received $5 million from an anonymous donor. The funds will be directed to the Department of Pediatrics and represents the largest gift in the department’s history. In the past six years, the department’s federal and research grants have more than doubled to $17.7 million. Dr. Feizal Waffarn will use the latest donation to establish endowed chairs for new programs, such as developmental and behavioral pediatrics.
The Angels Baseball Foundation donated $10,000 to Big Brothers Big Sisters of Orange County. The foundation also donated 500 tickets to Big Brothers Big Sisters. In addition to providing entertainment for the kids in the program, the donation provided a marketing opportunity for the nonprofit. Before the game, the program’s participants were introduced on the field to highlight the mission of Big Brothers Big Sisters. Also, Angels player Jose Molina encouraged adults to become big brothers or sisters on a public service announcement. In a separate contribution, Leonard Aoyama donated VIP season and playoff tickets for the Los Angeles Sparks to Big Brothers Big Sisters of OC. Aoyama is president and chief executive of Promark Financial in Santa Ana. The value of the tickets is $2,800.
The State Street Foundation Inc. gave $5,000 to the Boys & Girls Club of Laguna Beach. The donation will prepare three- and four-year-olds for school at Club Preschool. Since 1997, the State Street Foundation has supported nonprofit organizations. Local representatives of the foundation visited some of the Club Preschool graduates who are enrolled in the Club’s Kinder Buddy program.
The fifth annual charity golf classic Reds, Whites and Greens raised $211,469 for the OC affiliate of Susan G. Komen for the Cure. The event took place at the Mesa Verde Country Club in Costa Mesa drawing 144 golfers, including Ladies Professional Golf Association players Mhairi McKay, Hanna Kim and Stephanie Louden. Also present was Bobby Grich, former professional baseball player for the California Angels. Corporate sponsors were Chevron Corp., Allen Matkins Leck Gamble Mallory & Natsis LLP, Voit Commercial Brokerage LP, Sperry Van Ness Commercial Real Estate Advisors, Real Estate Temps, The OC Register, The Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim, Anderson Direct Marketing, Olympic Investors LLC and Pinnacle.
Staples stores in Costa Mesa, Santa Ana and Newport Beach participated in Share Our Selves 12th Annual Back to School Day in August. Share Our Selves is a nonprofit that serves the working poor in OC. The drive for school supplies provided local kids with 1,500 backpacks filled with school supplies and 400 bicycle helmets. Also, the OC Health Care Agency Grant provided a lesson on bicycle safety.
Bahia Corinthian Yacht Club raised $120,188 at its 2007 BCYC Leukemia Cup Regatta fundraising campaign. The campaign consisted of four primary charity venues: Electric Boat Poker Run, Casino Night Auction, PHRF Leukemia Cup Regatta and BCYC Leukemia Harbor Cruise. Each event raised funds to cure leukemia, lymphoma, Hodgkins’s disease and myeloma.
OC’s Credit Union donated more than $900 at a staff picnic to purchase care package essentials for U.S. 2nd Platoon Task Force Saber serving in Afghanistan. Some items that were included: snacks, toiletries, board games and stationery. Also, OC Credit Union held a greeting card drive for the troops, where members of the community were able to stop by any branch and customize cards. This was part of the grass-roots, Web-driven “A Million Thanks” campaign.
Shell Vacations’ Peacock Suites Resort in Anaheim and Guest Supply Co. sent care packages of supplies to 82nd Airborne Division marines in Iraq. Packages included handy wipes, shampoo and deodorant. Collecting loose change from a fountain near the resort’s main entrance paid for the toiletries.
