FUNdraisers

Our nonprofit clients are busy busy busy this time of year, and it doesn’t slow down as the holiday season approaches. I had the opportunity to be part of two wonderful fundraisers this fall:  the Komen Orange County Race for the Cure and Working Wardrobes’ Blue Jeans and the Blues. One overall thing I observed at both these events: our nonprofits and the community are truly amazing. Despite the economy, people are still coming in droves to support these ever-important causes. To put it simply: it’s inspirational.

The Race was just as magnificent as ever this year. HKA worked harder than ever to secure media exposure for this event and I’m proud to say we were successful, despite the fact that several media outlets had shut down since last year’s event (including KDOC’s Daybreak OC and Your Cancer today). The Orange County Register’s supplement and Race day story captured the event and stories of survivors.

And survivors’ stories are powerful. These women warriors captivate me during the Survivor Tribute each year. One woman revealed that she was  recently diagnosed and currently going through treatment, but at the end said she’d “always wanted to be a blonde,” then promptly yanked off her wig and waved it around amid cheers from her fellow survivors and everyone watching. I still get chills thinking about that moment.

All smiles after the Race!

Exactly one week after the Race, Working Wardrobes held their first ever Blue Jeans & the Blues fundraising event. I am in love with Working Wardrobes’ creativity in its fundraisers. While the Black Tie & Tennies was a favorite of mine last year, this year’s more relaxed gala was just as inspiring. People had a grand time enjoying barbeque, dancing to tunes from sultry songstress Pamela G, and raising money through the casino, opportunity drawings and live auction. 944 Magazine was there to capture great moments of the evening. And of course, team HKA was there in style:

An interesting twist: One of the live auction items was donated by chef Martin Gilligan, a Working Wardrboes success story, who had shared with guests how he had overcome alcohol and substance abuse to become a successful chef at the Kyoto Grand Hotel in Los Angeles. His story touched the hearts of so many at the event, including mine.

Both these organizations change lives and save lives.  And we love being part of that!

See HKA in action at these upcoming events!

Team HKA is working hard and looking forward to several great events this month and next.  Our nonprofit organizations do great work for the community and we are so excited to be part of it all, whether it’s working toward finding a cure for breast cancer or helping to preserve a historical part of the community.  Join us at our upcoming events and see the team in action!

Kids On Track Golf Tournament
Monday, Sept. 21 at 9:30 AM
America On Track

Client America On Track is an award-winning nonprofit organization dedicated to improving the social conditions of disadvantaged children and youth through mentoring and life transforming programs. This annual fundraiser includes a special dinner and live auction, and it takes place at the Mesa Verde Country Club. All the funds raised at this event will benefit the On Track Mentoring Programs throughout Orange County.  More info here.

Prohibition Party & Jazz on the Beach
Saturday, Sept. 26 at 6 PM
Crystal Cove Alliance

Orange County’s Crystal Cove Alliance is bringing the Prohibition era to the beach! The theme of this event is tied directly to Crystal Cove’s early Prohibition history when rum was running and jazz was hot.  Guests will travel back to the 1930s by stepping into the speakeasy on Crystal Cove’s beach where they will enjoy live music, dancing, fine dining, and even some authentic Prohibition cocktails (“bathtub gin fizz” or “sidecar,” anyone?).  Funds raised at the event will support CCA’s mission of education and restoration of the Crystal Cove State Park Historic District. And we think that’s just the bee’s knees! Purchase tickets here.

Susan G. Komen Orange County Race for the Cure
Sunday, Sept. 27 at 7 AM
The Komen Orange County Affiliate

2009 will mark HKA’s third time at the Race, held annually at Fashion Island, and we love it every single year. The event is such an inspiring one – the breast cancer survivor tribute at 9 AM is personally my favorite part of it all.  Watching nearly 2,000 breast cancer survivors in a sea of pink walk up and receive their pink roses is always a tear-jerking moment. The first Race begins at 7:30 AM, the second at 9:45.  The Race raises vital funds for mammograms and breast health programs in OC and groundbreaking breast cancer research.  Register here!

Blue Jeans & the Blues
Sunday, Oct. 4 at 5 PM
Working Wardrobes

Working Wardrobes is creating a fun new fundraiser this year: Blue Jeans & the Blues invites guests to come dressed in their best denim-chic and enjoy a night under the stars with sultry blues tunes from artist Pamela G and down-home cooking from Beach Pit BBQ. The event, taking place at the Lakeside Lagoon near the Verizon Amphitheater, will raise funds for an important cause in today’s economy: empowering more men and women to re-enter the workforce.  Purchase tickets here.

It IS easy being green!

This is an Earth Day post a day late. BUT — everyday should be Earth Day, am I right? Here are some easy tips/reminders on how you can be a little greener:

• Minimize plastic bag consumption by bringing a reusable bag to the store. Keep a couple in your car for grocery trips. A lot of stores offer incentives for bringing in your own bag now — for example, some Trader Joe’s stores give you a raffle ticket for a monthly gift card drawing.
• “Recycle, Recycle, Recycle!“  That was my high school yearbook teacher’s daily mantra to the class as we printed out numerous drafts of stories and layouts. She was indeed a fanatic and turned me into one, too, and I’m better for it.  We use a lot of paper in our line of work, so it’s especially important to remember to recycle. Or save a stack of scrap paper for notes. Keep a recycling bin right near your trash bin so you don’t even have to think twice when you’re throwing something away.  Recycling just becomes a habit!
• Turn off your lights when you leave the room, and when you leave the office to take lunch or go to a meeting. It’s an easy one to do, but also an easy one to forget.
• Opt for a canteen or reusable bottle (client BioGreen Bottles offers a biodegradable option), and refill it with tap or filtered water. This will save you money and save space in landfills — plastic water bottles are wasteful and require tons of oil and energy to simply be produced (read more on that subject here).  Recycling is awesome, as stated above, but the true key to being green is reducing consumption when you can.
• When you eat fast food, take only one napkin at first. If it’s not enough, no big — just take another. In the past, I’d developed a bad habit of taking a stack of napkins before beginning to eat my single food item.  And I’d feel bad about having a stack left when I was done.
• Same goes with paper towels when you dry your hands in public restrooms — just take enough to get the job done. Or better yet — use the dryer.
• Refuse receipts at ATMs, gas stations, etc. These use to just end up at the bottom of my car anyway, or crumpled up in the seat crevices.

Do you remember that video in elementary school of the singing cartoon dinosaur and his friends, dancing to 80s pop music and encouraging kids to recycle? “Recycle.. Reduce.. Reuse! .. and close the loop. We can close the loop!”

Ok, maybe that was just my school (hey, good to know that these educational videos do affect kids!).  But today, I would recommend the friendly dino to reprioritize his song a bit: Reduce, then Reuse, then Recycle.  Think about it.  If you just apply this to everyday life, you’ll start to recognize new — and easy — ways to be green.

Join HKA this weekend!

We’ve got quite a full weekend ahead — our nonprofit clients are working hard:

Saturday, March 21:  Komen Breast Health Symposium
Time: 7 a.m. – 12 p.m.
Place: Anaheim Marriott, 700 West Convention Way, Anaheim

Dwight Randle and Lisa Wolter raise candles in tribute to survivors.

The Symposium is an inspiring event that provides comprehensive and innovative breast health education in support of Orange County’s diverse communities, that results in improved access and optimal breast health care. And in light of a recent breast cancer community assessment, it’s something we need more than ever.  Spanish, Vietnamese, and Marshallese translators will be available for the keynote beginning at 8 a.m.

Speaking from my experience last year, the Komen Symposium is really a great event with educational and very useful breast health info.  And I say, we need to be our own breast health advocates and take the time to educate ourselves!

For more info on the Symposium: Call 714-957-9157, visit the Komen website or take a look at our press release.

Sunday, March 22: Working Wardrobes’ Baubles, Bangles, & Bags
Time: 1 p.m. – 5 p.m.
Place: Laguna Cliffs Marriott, 25135 Park Lantern, Dana Point

Ladies dress up for last year's event.

Baubles, Bangles, & Bags is a spectacular fashion and shopping event that will raise money to help out such a timely cause:  getting men and women in crises back into the workforce.  The event features discounted boutique shopping from over 40 vendors, flowing champagne, delicious appetizers, live entertainment, and a gift bag worth $150.  We hope you join us and shop to your hearts’ content to help raise money for Working Wardrobes’ outstanding programs.

While I didn’t attend last year, I heard other HKA ladies and friends had a grand time. And I’ll be there this Sunday, ready to shop! For a great cause, of course.

For more info on Baubles, Bangles, & Bags: Call 714-210-2460, visit the Working Wardrobes website, or see the press release.

Also, it’s the last weekend to get your Girl Scout Cookies! Click here for booth locations.

Join us if you can!

– The Nonprofit Gal

A couple quick updates!

Check out Hilary Kaye’s new monthly column on WomenEntrepreneur.com, “PR Like a Pro.”  In her first article, she discusses the importance of awards and recognition in boosting your corporate profile.

And check out our fresh new page on FaceBook!  Become a fan, and tell us what you think.