Groovy Gala
Wearing disco fashions and boogying to the groovy sounds of the ’70s, more than 300 domestic violence advocates gathered on Sept. 16 at the Island Hotel Newport Beach to celebrate the 23rd annual Laura’s House gala themed Saturday Night Fever at Club Laura’s House. The gala raised more than $530,000 for services including the Laura’s House emergency shelter, legal advocacy services and education outreach programs.
“(This event) helps us realize that abuse affects so many people in our community,” said Laura Khouri, president of Western National Property Management, Laura’s House board member and gala chairwoman. “It is vital that we end the silence of domestic violence to educate and empower victims.”
Laura’s House awarded its Crystal Heart Award to Western National Group for remodeling the 2,200-square-foot Domestic Violence Advocacy Center.
Casco Contractors was honored with the Corporate Crystal Heart Award for providing major improvement projects at Laura’s House’s emergency shelter, transitional living facility and resale stores.
Presenting sponsors of the gala were Khouri and Michael K. Hayde, chief executive of Western National Group.
Other sponsors included Julia and George Argyros/Argyros Family Foundation, Haskell & White LLP, Verizon Wireless, Hittelman Strunk Law Group LLP, Rutan & Tucker LLP and US Bank.
Successful Soirée
More than 400 business and community leaders united on Sept. 28 at Newport Beach’s Balboa Bay Resort for the 53rd annual Gourmet Dinner benefitting Big Brothers Big Sisters of Orange County and the Inland Empire. The event raised $2.4 million to benefit the more than 3,300 children enrolled in the organization’s one-to-one mentoring programs.
Joseph J. Ueberroth, founder and president of Bellwether Financial Group, was presented with the Joel K. Rubenstein Award, the highest distinction bestowed by the organization.
The dinner was co-chaired by Peter Desforges, president of Wohl Investment Co., Navin Narang, co-founder of FPH Capital Partners, and W. Henry Walker, president of Farmers & Merchants Bank. Event sponsors included Ten-X, Sterling BMW, Darioush Winery, Tito’s Handmade Vodka, Bellwether Charitable Foundation, Farmers & Merchants, FPH Capital Partners, R.D. Olson Development, Rutan & Tucker LLP, Solis Capital Partners, Ueberroth Family Foundation, Aristotle Capital Management/Steve Borowski, Beacon Pointe Advisors, JPMorgan Chase & Co., Latham & Watkins LLP, Mathis Brothers Furniture and Willis Towers Watson.
Great Options
Human Options hosted its annual fall luncheon for Domestic Violence Awareness on Oct. 19 at The Westin South Coast Plaza. The event, held during National Domestic Violence Awareness Month, raised more than $228,000 to support domestic violence programs, including a 24-hour hotline, emergency shelter, transitional housing, counseling program, legal advocacy and community education.
The event brought together more than 300 community members to support Human Options’ mission to end the cycle of domestic violence. Guests were welcomed with a champagne reception, where they mingled with fellow Human Options supporters. During the luncheon guests had the opportunity to hear first-hand accounts of how Human Options helps victims of domestic violence break free of the abuse cycle.
Event sponsors included Kaiser Permanente, Pacific Life, Piercey Auto Group and Wells Fargo Bank.
No Limits
UCP of Orange County held its 23rd Life Without Limits Autumn Golf Classic at Santa Ana Country Club on Oct. 16. The fundraiser was attended by 116 golfers and generated nearly $126,000 to support more than 5,300 children with developmental disabilities, including autism, Down syndrome, cerebral palsy, developmental delays, and their families.
Tournament co-chairs were Michael Marshall, chief financial officer of FPH Capital Partners, and Gerry Tieri, partner at Advanced Imaging Solutions. Committee members included Michele Maryott, partner at Gibson, Dunn & Crutcher; Kate Craft, AVP at Nationwide; and Chris Deason, senior vice president at Voit Real Estate Services. Major sponsors included the Mueller Co., loanDepot, Gibson Dunn, Nationwide and Starboard Realty Partners.
Bits & Pieces
Chick-fil-A, Hestan Commercial and Amtrak Pacific Surfliner joined the Anaheim Ducks in new corporate partnerships. … CIT Group Inc., the parent company of OneWest Bank, will plant one tree for each “like” or “share” of their newly launched philanthropic social media campaign called the Gratitude & Growth Project. … On Oct. 26 Community Service Programs, an Orange County nonprofit that provides prevention and intervention programs, introduced its new name, Wayfinders, to reflect its work of guiding people to make lasting change.
