Galactic Gala
A sold-out crowd of 300 music lovers, philanthropists and star warriors embarked on an out-of-this-world adventure as Pacific Symphony hosted its most stellar event of the year, the Starry Night Gala, on May 4. Held at the Hyatt Regency Irvine, the event raised more than $2 million in support of the Symphony’s artistic, education and community engagement programs.
John Forsythe, president and CEO, Pacific Symphony, announced major philanthropic gifts, including $2.5 million from philanthropists Judy Whitmore, member, board of directors, Pacific Symphony, and Wes Whitmore to endow the Associate Concertmaster Chair, which will be named the Judy and Wes Whitmore Chair; $150,000 from Sandy Segerstrom Daniels, co-managing partner, C.J. Segerstrom & Sons, to match Fund-A-Dream donations; and a $150,000 from John Tu, co-founder, Kingston Technology, to Fund-A-Dream donations, with an additional $200,000 challenge grant for annual fund donors, which concluded on June 30.
The evening began with a cocktail reception where guests were transported to a cosmic realm. Gala-goers arrived attired in Star Wars and Star Trek cosplay outfits. Serenaded by a Star Wars Cantina Band (aka The Jake Brown Quartet), attendees socialized and enjoyed the signature drink HAL-9000. Following the reception, guests enjoyed a sit-down dinner in the blue-lit ballroom with planets from the Milky Way suspended from the ceiling and twinkling stars projected on all the walls.
The evening’s program included a Fund-A-Dream video, live auction and dancing to the sounds of JT and Friends, with John Tu on the drums.
“I want to personally thank each of you here tonight who help make Pacific Symphony’s continued success possible,” said Arthur Ong, chairman of the board, Pacific Symphony and managing member, Heuristic Consulting LLC. “We had many community individuals, organizations and businesses whose sponsorship and assistance made tonight’s event possible.”
Essential Options
Human Options hosted its annual Serious Fun Gala on May 18 at the Balboa Bay Resort in Newport Beach. The event, themed Under the Tuscan Sun, transported more than 250 guests to “Italy,” raising more than $505,000 to support Human Options’ mission to provide essential programs and services to those impacted by relationship violence, including legal advocacy support, therapy and counseling, elder abuse prevention and emergency shelter and transitional housing programs.
The evening reception began with aperitifs of champagne, Aperol spritzes and Italian wines, which paired well with a silent auction featuring Italian-themed silent auction prizes such as a pasta night, art inspired by Italy and wine. The night continued in the Tuscany-transformed ballroom with an Italian dinner, a performance by an Italian opera singer and a live auction.
During the gala, Human Options honored Latham & Watkins LLP, Steven Hittelman, managing partner, Hittelman Family Law Group and Michael Morris, partner, Minyard Morris LLP with the 2024 DOVE Award for their dedication to advocating for those affected by relationship violence.
Latham & Watkins LLP has many attorneys involved with Human Options, including Andrew Gray, board chair, Latham & Watkins LLP, who provide pro-bono legal advice to the organization’s clients. Steven Hittelman has gone above and beyond to ensure survivors of domestic violence get the legal support they need. Morris has volunteered with Human Options for more than a decade.
Latham & Watkins and Suki McCardle, philanthropist, were the event’s Gold sponsors. Silver sponsors included the Crevier Family Foundation; Diane Biagianti, senior vice president, general counsel, Glaukos Corporation and Glaukos Charitable Foundation; The Frome Family Foundation; Greenberg Traurig LLC and Susan Heller, intellectual property and technology lawyer, Greenberg Traurig LLC; KPMG LLP; and Rhythm Healthcare. Apriem Advisors, Edwards Lifesciences Foundation, Fermol Inc., Hittelman Family Law Group, Kaiser Permanente Southern California, Knobbe Martens, Minyard Morris LLP, O’Melveny & Myers LLP, CT Realty, Resilience Insurance Analytics, Schilling Law Group, Pacific Premier Bank, Rexford Industrial and Newmeyer & Dillion LLP.
Safety First
Vanguard University (VU) has been awarded a $825,000 grant from the Samueli Foundation to establish the pioneering Safe Kids program through the institution’s Global Center for Women and Justice (GCWJ). This three-year pilot initiative aims to significantly increase human trafficking prevention education for students and educators in Orange County public schools.
“We are immensely grateful to the Samueli Foundation for this generous grant, which will allow us to bring vital human trafficking awareness and prevention resources directly into Orange County classrooms,” said Sandra Morgan, Ph.D., director of the GCWJ. “This innovative program will empower hundreds of students with the knowledge to recognize exploitation and skills for staying safe.”
Through the GCWJ, founded in 2003, Safe Kids will recruit, hire and train VU students to serve as peer educators and facilitators. Student advocates will visit middle schools across the OC public school system to deliver interactive, trauma-informed curriculum on human trafficking prevention tailored specifically for youth. In addition to educating students, the program will provide professional development for current teachers and school staff.
Bits & Pieces
The Orange County Board of Supervisors approved $500,000 in funding from Supervisor Don Wagner’s discretionary funds for the OC Diaper Bank, a program by Community Action Partnership of Orange County (CAP OC), which in the four years since its inception has delivered more than 47 million diapers to families in need through more than 80 distribution partners and presently serves 10,000 children each month … The Southern California Hospice Foundation has been awarded a $50,000 grant by the Foster Family Foundation to support Heavenly Home, which provides affordable, 24-hour care and housing to residents facing terminal illness … Orange County Rescue Mission raised $4,000 from its recent MAC Speed & Custom Cars & Guitars event, which was held at the historic garage in Fullerton, where the iconic Fender Telecaster guitar was invented and mass produced in the 1950s.
