Gala Worthy of Gatsby
More than 430 guests roared their way back to the Jazz Age for a night of flappers and speakeasies to celebrate Pacific Symphony’s gala. The evening included a reception, a gourmet dinner, and entertainment by an aerialist, symphony musicians and the Jazz Age sounds of JT & Friends.
Sponsored by Jaguar, Land Rover, Aston Martin Newport Beach, Regency Air LLC and Private Charter Partner, the event took place May 6 at Hotel Irvine.
It raised more than $1.5 million to support symphony programs. The live auction alone brought in more than $221,000, while fund-a-dream, which included a video presentation featuring the symphony’s community programs, added another $600,000 to the final tally.
Breaking the Cycle
More than 375 business and community leaders came together at the Human Options Serious Fun Gala to help break the cycle of domestic abuse. The event, which was held on May 20 at Balboa Bay Resort in Newport Beach, raised $678,000 for the organization.
The evening was sponsored by the Argyros Family Foundation, CoreLogic Inc., Latham & Watkins LLP, City National Bank, Rutan & Tucker LLP, Squar Milner LLP and more, including several prominent private foundations.
Human Options honored longtime strategic partner and past board chairperson Julie Hill, founder of Hiram-Hill Development, with the DOVE Award at the gala, which recognizes those who’ve made significant contributions to programs that enable women and children to overcome trauma and begin to lead safe and healthy lives.
Girls Find Their Voices
A packed room of more than 200 business leaders rallied together with local Girl Scouts at the Newport Beach Country Club on May 12 for a conversation on women’s ability to be authentic in the workplace.
The 6th Annual Voice for Girls Forum, presented by BNY Mellon Wealth Management, provided those in attendance with an understanding that girls shouldn’t have to reconcile their dreams with expectations of “who they should be,” and inspired participants to create work environments that value women’s unique perspectives and contributions.
Dr. Kathy Magliato, a heart surgeon, author and producer whose memoir, “Heart Matters,” was made into a scripted medical drama, “Heartbeat,” on NBC, headlined the event. As the keynote speaker, she provided candid insights into her personal journey to achieve excellence in a field dominated by men.
LEADing for Epilepsy
LEAD OC drew a sellout crowd of over 400 at its Paint the Town Purple to End Epilepsy Gala on June 4 at Balboa Bay Resort in Newport Beach. The fundraiser raises awareness of the scope of epilepsy in Orange County, where an estimated 32,000 people have the disorder, and of the lack of resources—a shortage of specialists or epileptologists. Much of the nearly $300,000 raised at the gala will help train a fellow at UCI Health to perform epilepsy surgery.
“This is great news for patients with epilepsy and for the community as a whole,” said Dr. Sumeet Vadera, the UCI neurosurgeon who will train the Care + Cure fellow.
LEAD OC is a group of 23 OC executives formed six years ago to “focus on charity and commit time and resources to help people,” said co-founder and Newport Beach attorney Brian Davis at the gala. Melissa Beck, chief executive of Big Brothers Big Sisters of Orange County, chaired the black-tie event. Epilepsy is a brain disorder marked by recurrent seizures.
Bits & Pieces
The Morgan Stanley Foundation, through its partnership with Feeding America, is awarding $750,000 in grants this month to 200 food banks across the country, including Orange County’s Second Harvest Food Bank, as part of Morgan Stanley’s Feeding Kids Around the Clock initiative. … The Orange County Family Justice Center Foundation, which provides assistance and prevention resources to victims of abuse, was awarded a $5,000 grant from Huggins Dreckman Insurance Agency Inc. through the Safeco Insurance Make More Happen Award program. … Tilly Levine, co-founder of Tilly’s clothing chain and founder of Tilly’s Life Center delivered the commencement speech at the 48th graduation ceremony for Saddleback College in Mission Viejo, focusing on how thoughts can change a destiny.
