In the Pink
On May 30, 540 guests gathered at Orange County Great Park’s Palm Court Arts Complex in Irvine for the Susan G. Komen Orange County’s 9th Annual Pink Tie Ball. The sold-out celebration, themed “A Blast for the Cure,” raised $554,067, 75% of which will support local programs dedicated to the community’s breast health needs, and 25% percent toward fund breast cancer research.
The Allergan Foundation served as the event’s founding and presenting sponsor. Bank of the West, Pacific Life Insurance Co., and Saks Fifth Avenue were the gold-level sponsors, while Black, Starr & Frost; Experian; First American Title Insurance Co.; and Kaiser Permanente were among the silver-level sponsors. The official media sponsor was Riviera Orange County | Modern Luxury.
The pink-tie affair honored seven distinguished businessmen as Pink Tie Guys, a title given annually to men who advocate in the business community for breast health.
Preparing for the Future
On June 6, the Bascom Group of Irvine sponsored the Fifth Annual Boys2Men event through Women Helping Women/Men2Work. The Boys2Men event hosted 44 foster youth from partner agency Orangewood Children’s Foundation. The youth have been or will soon be “emancipated,” when they leave home at 18 to live on their own unless their foster families want to continue taking care of them.
WHW created the Boys2Men event in 2011 to help at-risk youth attain the skills and resources necessary to gain prolonged employment during one of the most critical times in their lives.
The youth attended employment-readiness workshops designed to provide them with the skills needed to find a job. Each youth spent time with a volunteer businessman who acted as mentor for the day and helped them select a suit for their job hunt. The event included a mock business lunch, which introduced the “soft skills” that the young men will need as they venture into the world of work.
Time for Tee
Irvine Public Schools Foundation welcomed an extended list of returning and new sponsors to its Tee It Up for Education golf tournament on June 4 at Strawberry Farms Golf Course in Irvine. Cisco, Resilient, Skinceuticals, Acquired Sales Corp., Irvine BMW, KSK Medical, Asics, Le Chateau, and The Princeton Review were among the more than 50 companies that sponsored the event.
Funds raised will support public education initiatives, including an emphasis on STEAM—science, technology, education, arts and mathematics—programming.
The event was held in conjunction with the Crescent Moon Foundation, founded by former NFL quarterback Warren Moon, and Sports 1 Marketing. It drew 152 golfers and raised more than $125,000.
Survivors Strut Their Stuff
West Coast Arborists Inc., CW Industries Inc., Kaiser Permanente, Wells Fargo, Townsend Public Affairs Inc., Disneyland Resort, Sempra Energy/The Gas Co., Aitken Aitken Cohn, and Liberty Mutual Insurance Group were among the many business sponsors of the Orange County Family Justice Center Foundation’s Runway of Strength Gala on May 30.
The foundation provides victim assistance, empowerment and prevention resources to victims and families whose lives have been affected by domestic violence.
The sold-out event raised $250,000 to support essential foundation programs. It was held at the Anaheim Hills home of longtime foundation supporters Jolynn and Patrick Mahoney. He is chief executive of West Coast Arborists. Comedian Cheech Marin hosted the event.
The 480 guests enjoyed cocktails and dinner, as well as silent and live auctions. The highlight of the evening was a fashion show featuring Betinnis Fashions for which some of the models were survivors of domestic abuse who had been helped by the foundation.
CW Industries was honored as the foundation’s corporate partner of the year. Its support has enabled the center to expand programs and serve more victims of violence each year.
Bits & Pieces
Big Brothers Big Sisters of Orange County received the Excellence in Leadership Development award from the Center for Leadership at the Mihaylo College of Business and Economics at California State University-Fullerton … More than 200 leaders in government, business, education, and the community attended the launch of THINK Together founder and Chief Executive Randy Barth’s new book, “THINK Together: How YOU can play a role in improving education in America,” at the Lyon Air Museum in Santa Ana.
