Changing Lives With Mobility
Free Wheelchair Mission celebrated its 15th Annual Miracle of Mobility on July 26 at Segerstrom Center of the Arts, raising $1.63 million to provide more than 20,000 wheelchairs to impoverished people around the world.
Guests participated in a silent auction that alone raised about $50,000. The big action came during the live auction, when guests seated in the concert hall were asked to directly participate in changing lives. A large screen displayed auction progress in real time; a graphic depicting a freighter was gradually loaded with containers carrying wheelchairs as the auction continued. Bidding numbers filled the air, as nearly everyone participated at some level, from donors who gave two full containers, or 1,100 wheelchairs totaling $88,000, to those who provided one wheelchair, transforming one life for $80.
Sponsors of the gala included Advisors Mortgage Group, LoanDepot, Open Door Packaging LLC, Diamond Hill, KPMG, McKinsey & Co., Applied Medical, Brookfield Residential, The Master’s Program and TriGuard.
Surfers, Businesses for a Cure
The 11th annual Pipeline to a Cure gala netted $500,000 to help the Cystic Fibrosis Foundation find a cure for the deadly inherited disease. Held on July 21 at Hyatt Regency Huntington Beach, it united surfing legends, Olympians, musicians and corporations in the common goal of improving the lives of those who battle cystic fibrosis.
Sponsors of this year’s event included BJ’s Restaurants, LAcarGuy, Riverstone Capital, Stacked Food Well Built, American Airlines, Subaru of America, Kaiser Permanente Orange County, Coca-Cola, Nick Alexander Imports, C-Squared PR, Pacifico Beer, Huntington Beach Surf School, PepsiCo, Piercey Automotive, Karma Tequila, Wahoo’s Fish Taco and Beckwith Printing.
Celebrity participants included surfing ambassadors Dave Kalama, Reef McIntosh, Austin Kalama, Tre Cool of the band Green Day, world surf champs Jericho Poppler and Mickey Munoz, Olympic swimmer Jason Lezak and Tim Salmon of Angels Baseball.
For Women’s Health
Pacific Premier Bank presented a $200,000 check to Susan G. Komen Orange County in July.
Chief Executive Steve Gardner gave the donation to the organization’s executive director, Lisa Wolter, at Komen OC’s mobile mammography event outside the Mexican consulate in Santa Ana.
Also in attendance were YWCA Chief Executive Diane Masseth-Jones and Mario Cuevas Zamora, head counsel of the Consulate of Mexico. More than 40 underinsured women from the Orange County community took advantage of the free service.
Partnering for Programs
On June 3 and 4, Tommy Bahama partnered with Olive Crest to help stop the cycle of abuse by hosting the 19th Annual Tommy Bahama Pacific Coast Classic Golf Tournament at Monarch Beach Golf Links in Dana Point.
The two-day event raised more than $130,000 to support independent life skills training and mentoring.
The sold-out tournament, with 145 golfers participating, kicked off with a celebration dinner the evening before with 220 guests at Tommy Bahama Island Grille in Newport Beach.
“We cannot thank [the Tommy Bahama organization] enough for assisting Olive Crest in raising well over $1.5 million to date,” said Tim Bauer, Olive Crest’s Orange County executive director of Development.
Event corporate sponsors included Kaiser Permanente, 360 International, HUB International, Rutan & Tucker, Farmers & Merchants Bank, Merrill Lynch, Oltmans Construction, United Airlines, Corner Bakery, Southern Wine & Spirits, Sysco Foods, Tesla and Hi-Time Wine Cellars.
Bits & Pieces
Human Options was awarded an $11,500 grant from Wells Fargo to support the Fall Luncheon, which takes place Oct. 4 at The Westin South Coast Plaza. … Executives of independent wealth-management firm Aspiriant served breakfast at the Ronald McDonald House on July 13 as part of the annual national Day of Giving. … Second Harvest Food Bank of Orange County recently received a $50,000 grant from the Sisters of St. Joseph Healthcare Foundation to support the nonprofit’s Farm to Family program, which helps bridge the gap between the state’s surplus and those in need.
Correction
The most recent column gave some incorrect names for members of The Knights volunteer board of directors that manages the Stars & Stripes Tournament. The board includes members Dick Gebhard, founder of Pinnacle Land Management; Al Baldwin, chairman of Baldwin and Sons; Larry Kirkenslager, senior vice president of preconstruction at Sasco Electric Inc.; Charles Ruck, partner at Latham & Watkins LLP; Tim Ryan, president and chief executive of the Honda Center and chief operating officer of the Anaheim Ducks; Erik Anderson, president of Anderson Financial, Zlatko Zadro, president of Zadro Products Inc.; and Rick Hausman, a first-year “knight” and business development executive at Rudolph and Sletten.
