Girls’ Night Out Earns $70k for Boys & Girls Club
Last week, two annual events achieved even greater success for their respective charitable foundations in Laguna Beach, The Boys & Girls Club of Laguna Beach, and the Pacific Marine Mammal Center.
If you missed these events, I highly encourage you to mark your calendars for NEXT September as these are two fun events you have to stop missing.
Celebrating its 5th incarnation, the Annual Girls’ Night Out drew more than 250 women at the Rockledge estate on a perfect Thursday evening (Sept. 26th). A fashion show combined with a live and silent auction event, Girls’ Night was the brainchild of board member Michelle Ray when the Club was struggling to raise funding a few years ago.
The event started with a bang back then, and it’s only gotten larger with growing event support along the way. This year, the Wilson Automotive Group, Newport Lexxus and South Coast Plaza were primary sponsors. Live auction items included oceanfront villas in Puerta Vallarta, VIP experiences at the new Aria Resort in Vegas, and renowned spa experiences up and down the coast. Laguna’s Starfish Restaurant served up its finest foods and Cantaloupe martinis, and taco, slider and sushi stations reigned supreme.
Not a bad night to be treated like a queen. The women gave back in a big way, though, raising a whopping $70,000 net in direct support of the Boys & Girls Club after-school programs!
Annual Cabaret Brings In Record $166,000 For Our Mammals of the Sea
Three evenings later, it was all about the mammals along our coastline at the PMMC Cabaret at the Aliso Creek Golf Course Sunday night.
This year has been an especially tough year for our dear ocean mammals. The Pacific Marine Mammal Center has worked tirelessly to rescue, treat and release several hundred seals and sea lions, nearly triple the number normally cared for.
Through the year, Laguna residents have generously responded, but Sunday night’s event was a crowning show of support for the rescue operation that started in a bathtub. A record crowd of more than 350 people gathered in support of the PMMC.
First working through tray-passed appetizers and more than 100 creative silent auction items, the crowd eventually worked its way down to the course itself for dinner under balmy skies. Immaculate tables were festooned with gorgeous centerpieces from Laguna Nursery, and string lights added charm to the event. The live music and crooning vocalists proved merely a precursor to the rather heated (but always good natured) live auction that ensued. All in all, another memorable event for the PMMC … and the seals and sea lions thank you.
What a great week for charitable foundations in Laguna Beach!