Employees of David Wilson Automotive Group, the Orange-based company that runs 16 auto dealerships in Orange County and Scottsdale, gave $255,200 to local charities. Owner David Wilson suggested giving to charities instead of buying any holiday gifts for him. Charities included Orangewood Children’s Foundation, Olivecrest Homes & Services for Abused Children, Lakers Youth Foundation, United Cerebral Palsey and the American Cancer Society. The company employs more than 2,000 people.
Rutan & Tucker LLP, Orange County’s largest law firm by lawyers, gave $75,000 to Chapman University. The money will help fund the university’s legal research and writing program.
The Hilton Waterfront Beach Resort in Huntington Beach gave $600,000 worth of furniture to the 3rd Battalion, 1st Marine Regiment at Camp Pendleton. The furniture came from the hotel’s 265 rooms after a refurbishment. Marines with family were given priority. The battalion was adopted by the city of Huntington Beach, which created the 3/1 Committee for support programs and projects.
Disneyland Resort in Anaheim, through its VoluntEARS program, helped organize more than 900 volunteers from a dozen local OC businesses and groups to package 19,200 food boxes at the Orange County Food Bank. The efforts were part of National Family Volunteer Day in November. For the holidays, the resort also donated 12,000 toys to the Marine Toys for Tots Foundation; sent 2,000 care packages to military personnel; knitted 1,080 blankets, scarves and mittens; and helped provide day-to-day necessities to more than 100 families through the resort’s Adopt-A-Family program. Some 20,000 employees took part.
Vanguard University of Southern California in Costa Mesa received $366,460 from the Fletcher Jones Foundation in Los Angeles. The money will go toward laboratory equipment for the school’s future Townsend Academic Center for Science and Technology. The science center is part of the school’s Vision 2010 capital campaign to become a nationally recognized Christian university.
YWCA North Orange County received $335,000 from the family of late Fullerton community activist Ruth Thurmond. The money will be used for two endowments. Half of the contribution will go toward the association’s Thurmond College Scholarship Fund. The other half will start the Launer Endowment, which will be used to operate general programs such as breast cancer detection and education, economic advancement classes and childcare tuition.
Share Our Selves, which provides services to Orange County’s needy, raised more than $200,000 at its 16th annual Celebrity Chef Dinner, which included an auction. The money will fund the nonprofit’s general operations. More than 310 people attended. Sixteen chefs with assistants from various hotels took part.
Rancho Santiago Community College District raised more than $120,000 at its ninth annual Chan-cellor’s Ball. The money will go to-ward student scholarships and programs at Santiago Canyon College and Santa Ana College.
The Ladera Ranch Community Services gave $76,000 raised at its annual Taste of Ladera. $26,000 was given to seven groups: Resources for Autistic Children’s Therapy Foundation, Tinkerbell Guild of Children’s Hospital of Orange County, Oso Grande Science Camp, Ladera Ranch Education Foundation, Ladera Ranch Elementary School, Alex’s Lemonade Stand and Chaparral Elementary School’s Save the Music Program. The remaining $50,000 was given to local businesses.
