1st Annual Benefit Gala

On Friday evening, November 2nd, 2007, Giving Children Hope hosted our first annual Benefit Gala, “Light Up A Child’s World,” at the Los Coyotes Country Club in Buena Park, CA. Two hundred and sixty guests were in attendance with emcee Rich Buhler and keynote speaker Rex Hudler.

The event included a silent auction and reception hour preceding the opening of the ballroom doors. As guests took their seats at their country-themed tables, Chairman of the Board, Marvin Payne, welcomed all in attendance. Co-founders John and Juliana Ditty also extended a welcome message and introduced the first performance of the evening. The Hi-Tops, an Orange County based dance troupe made up of students and alumni from the Speech and Language Development Center, took the floor and gave an inspiring and touching performance.

As the first course was served, two very special partners of Giving Children Hope shared their personal testimonies. Pastor Phillip Mundemba of Zambia and Carol Guscott of Jamaica revealed not only the needs in their countries of origin, but also how working in collaboration with Giving Children Hope is equipping them to address those needs. As dinner came to a close, Angels announcer Rex Hudler took the stage with his keynote speech. Both encouraging and compassionate, Rex shared lessons of faith learned through both his career in major league baseball and his experiences as a father to a child with Down Syndrome. Before he left the stage, Rex presented a VIP Angels package and offered it up for live auction, raising $9,000 for Giving Children Hope!

Michael Gibbons, a dear friend and donor, took the floor with a surprise opportunity for guests to pledge sponsorship of pieces of medical equipment bound for developing countries. With a warming table and fetal monitor in the corner of the ballroom, guests had an opportunity to see the equipment they could personally help send to clinics in dire need. Michael shared the truly personal story of his own son’s complications upon birth and how due to the fully equipped hospitals here in the U.S., that very son was able to stand beside him that night. Infants in other parts of the world do not have access to the same care, but through sponsorship, Giving Children Hope is able to procure, refurbish, and ship much needed pieces of equipment to clinics and hospitals around the globe. Hands were raising faster than volunteers could take account of their pledges!

As dessert and coffee was served, emcee Rich Buhler presented the opportunity prize, a week-long vacation to Hawaii including airfare, to one very lucky guest: Debra McNaughton! With a special thank you to sponsors, underwriters, Board of Directors, staff, and Gala Committee, the floor was open for dancing to the sounds of the nine-piece orchestral band. At the end of the evening, guests were invited to take home brand new organization brochures and a DVD of the Giving Children Hope video that was shared earlier that evening.

Overall, the night was a wonderful success, raising both the spirits and funds necessary to light up a child’s world.