Rockin’, Rollin’, Breakin’ Records
The Anaheim Ducks, SASCO Electric Inc., and the Honda Center were among the corporate sponsors of the 19th annual Stars & Stripes fishing, golfing and music tournament. The four-day festival, held June 25 to 28 at the Hilton Los Cabos Beach & Golf Resort in Mexico, raised $2.8 million for Orange County children’s charities, besting the former record of 2014 by more than $100,000.
More than 600 philanthropists reeled, putted and rocked to support five Orange County youth organizations: Big Brothers Big Sisters of Orange County, Miracles For Kids, Orangewood Children’s Foundation, CASA (Court Appointed Special Advocates) of Orange County, and HomeAid Orange County.
The event pushed the funds raised since its inception to more than $22 million.
Dick Gebhard, chairman of Santa Ana-based landscape company Pinnacle Holdings Group, founded Stars & Stripes in 1997. A volunteer board of directors called “The Knights” manages it along with Gebhard. Members include Tim Ryan, chief executive of the Honda Center and executive vice president of the Anaheim Ducks; Al Baldwin, chairman of Baldwin and Sons; Jeff Cunningham, senior vice president of Construction Management Services at Shea Properties; Charles Ruck, partner at Latham & Watkins LLP; and Larry Kirkenslager, senior vice president of preconstruction for SASCO.
Beacon of Support
Newport Beach-based Beacon Pointe Advisors organized two local community service events to support the Boys Hope Girls Hope of Southern California and Girl Scouts of Orange County.
The Girl Scouts workshop, hosted by Beacon Pointe’s Women Advisory Institute board, took place on May 2. The financially focused event gave local scouts the opportunity to learn about the basics of finance and money in an effort to prepare them to thrive in college and life.
The Beacon Pointe Advisors Client Services team also hosted a “paid day of service” on June 10. Twenty employees traveled to the local Boys Hope Girls Hope site for a day of renovation, including cleaning a fire pit, landscaping, and creating a safe play environment for children at the home.
Fabulous Fathers
Paul Pickle, Microsemi Corp.’s president and chief operating officer, was honored along with Mike Gilligan, executive vice president and general manager of Norm Reeves Ford Superstore; Jack Gerken, president of Brighton Communications; and Drew Adams, president of StoneCreek Capital Inc. at the 13th annual Orange County Father of the Year Awards dinner.
The Father’s Day Council, in a partnership with the American Diabetes Association, hosts the annual event, which also serves as a wfundraiser to benefit the association. This year, $328,730 was raised to support the organization’s services and programs.
The honorees are fathers who have demonstrated the ability to balance professional lives with their roles as fathers while actively serving their communities. The dinner took place on June 11 at the Island Hotel Newport Beach.
More to Discover
Discovery Cube Orange County celebrated the grand opening of its newest addition: 44,000 square feet of science exhibitions, and enhanced services.
The June 11 event drew more than 400 Orange County residents and business leaders.
The hands-on permanent exhibits feature themed science adventures, interactive programs and STEM (science, technology, engineering and math) learning spaces, with a focus on cultivating an appreciation for the smallest ecosystems on earth to the exploration of the cosmos.
Discovery Cube Orange County also features the new 10,000-square-foot Julianne Argyros Showcase Theater and Exhibition Hall, where exhibition space can be transformed into a 500-seat theater.
Discovery Cube Orange County is presented by Taco Bell Corp.
Bits & Pieces
Orange County United Way received a $100,000 grant from the Bank of America Charitable Foundation to support its Workforce Development and Financial Literacy initiatives. … Engineering consulting company Stantec presented three OC educators with its Engineering Excellence in Education Award, alongside an engineering computer workstation, to recognize their efforts to encourage students’ interest in STEM (science, technology, engineering and math) education. … In June, five OC First Bank branches each collected a truckload of food to replenish Grandma’s House of Hope cupboards following a recent theft.
