Two Decades of Service
Irvine Public Schools Foundation celebrated 20 years of impact at the seventh annual Spirit of Excellence Gala and Auction on Oct. 22 at Kia Motors headquarters in Irvine. The event raised over $780,000 in net proceeds for Irvine schools. More than 400 community and business leaders, educators, parents and others attended the gala to show their support of Irvine Unified School District.
Funds raised at this year’s gala and auction will help fund critical programs and classroom support. Proceeds from the gala also qualify for the city of Irvine’s Challenge Match Grant. Earlier in the month, the city granted the foundation a temporary double match grant, meaning all tax-deductible donations raised will be triple-matched dollar for dollar.
FivePoint was the presenting sponsor for the seventh consecutive year. Other corporate sponsors included Hoag Orthopedic Institute, Waste Management, Twila True, University of California-Irvine, Lugano Diamonds, Total Wine & More, Pillsbury Law, Kia Motors and Irvine Company.
Strength of Character
Farmers & Merchants Bank made $2,000 grants to 10 nonprofit organizations at its sixth annual California’s Strongest People You Can Bank On awards. The event, which took place on Oct. 27 at Parkers’ Lighthouse in Long Beach, honored people who demonstrate the same values and strength of character as laid out in the bank’s Declaration of Beliefs: honesty, faith, loyalty, integrity, dedication, gratitude, humility, dependability, compassion, and service above self. Farmers & Merchants presented the awards to the winners at a luncheon.
The honorees are Bill Nelson of Fresh Beginnings Ministries in Costa Mesa; Ken Korver of Emmanuel Reformed Church in Paramount; Angeles Ceballos of CREER Comunidad y Familia in San Juan Capistrano; Reggie Berry of Goals For Life Foundation in Norwalk; Dr. Miriam Mackovic-Basic of Complete Women Care Inc. in Long Beach; Patti Widdicombe, a McDonald’s franchise in Garden Grove; Mike Sheldrake of Polly’s Gourmet Coffee in Long Beach; Joe Lins of Century 21 Discovery in Fullerton; Patricia Drown of San Clemente Domestic Violence Task Force in San Clemente; and Kathy Tillotson of Build Futures in Huntington Beach.
“These honorees embody those values that make our communities so special, and we are honored to have them in our F&M family and to award them for their strength,” said bank President W. Henry Walker.
A Special Wish
Cystinosis Research Foundation, a provider of grants for cystinosis research, raised more than $441,000 for cystinosis research at the Natalie’s Wish Ninth Annual Fore a Cure Golf Tournament at Pelican Hill Golf Club on Oct. 17. Over 200 community and business leaders attended the record-breaking event. Sponsors included Oltmans Construction Co., Sares-Regis Group, Chicago Title, CBRE, Silverline Construction Inc. and Gorman Building Services.
The tournament followed the foundation’s 2016 Natalie’s Wish Celebration in April, which raised a record-breaking $3.3 million. This year the foundation has awarded $1.47 million in grants to researchers in four countries in an ongoing quest to find improved treatments and a cure for the disease.
Fundraising Adventure
Orangewood Foundation has brought “adventure racing” to Orange County and drew some top executives to its inaugural event. The Orangewood Adventure Challenge on Oct. 15 at Crystal Cove State Park, included biking, running, and ocean kayaking in the surrounding area, culminating with a challenge requiring teamwork and problem solving. The event raised more than $123,000 for Orangewood’s scholarship program for foster youth.Â
It was the idea of board member and Terrapin Ventures Chief Executive Paul Tobin, who created a similar successful event in Australia for a children’s charity. Tobin formed his own team, which included investor Don Kang, St. John Knits President and Chief Executive/Chief Operating Officer Bruce Fetter, and Orangewood Chief Financial Officer John Luker.
The top fundraising team was the “J Walkers” led by Lennar Regional President Jeff Roos and including fellow Lennar executives Jon Jaffe, vice president and chief operating officer, Jeremy Parness, division president, and John Lavender, vice president of operations.
Other competitors included Adam Mikkelsen, principal at Cooper & Co., Antony Clarke, president and chief executive of Strategic Medical, Drew Emmel, managing partner at Allen Matkins; Dave Sugden, associate at Call & Jensen, Jeff Manley, principal at Cresa, and Frank Spaeth, managing partner at NIC Partners, plus a team of Orangewood’s former foster youth. Sponsors included Wahoo’s Fish Taco, Clif Bar and Troy Lee Designs.
Bits & Pieces
Nonprofit KidWorks started construction on the Dan Donahue Center, which is named for the late Newport Beach area philanthropist and developer and will double its space by joining the 10,000-square-foot facility in Santa Ana with an adjacent 10,366-square-foot industrial building it’s been leasing. … 13 team members from hotel builder R.D. Olson Construction continued the annual tradition of donating time and talent to build homes for Habitat for Humanity in Santa Ana on Oct. 21.
