Grab your cigar, put on your Cuban guayabera shirt or dress and drive your brightly painted classic car to Old Ranch Country Club on March 7, at 6 p.m., for “A Night in Old Havana,” The Youth Center’s 2020 Annual Gala.
The Annual Gala, A Night in Old Havana is the culminating event of The Youth Center’s 2020 Community Support Campaign, led by this year’s Campaign Chair, Jim Klisanin. The Gala will feature dinner, dancing, live music, special cocktails and a silent auction. Each year the Campaign Chair presents a new slogan for the campaign. Klisanin chose a slogan that is close to his heart, as it was the mantra he shared with his team as a high school football coach, “Who told you, ‘you couldn’t do that’?” to which The Youth Center replies, “Not us, we think you can do anything!” Of the campaign, Klisanin said, “I am so grateful to all of our campaigners who are out all over Southern California collecting pledges of support for kids.
Working up to the “A Night in Old Havana” event, individuals, local businesses and the community at large have been challenged to raise $1,000 each, with a total campaign goal of $200,000 to help The Youth Center meet the needs of and inspire hope in our local kids this year. To date, approximately $155,000 has been raised through sponsorships, mini events and individuals asking friends and family for their support. Money raised during the Community Support Campaign will help The Youth Center to nurture youth in mind, body and spirit by keeping them safe and active, providing tutoring and homework help, teaching instrumental music, offering leadership, life skills and career training and offering scholarships to families in need.
“Since our doors opened 68 years ago, we have served more than 106,000 children ages 5-18, said Lina Lumme, executive director of The Youth Center. “We work hard to provide high quality programs and last year, we celebrated one million service hours for local children, thanks to the tremendous support of our community members and business sponsors including Epson of America, Lorraine & Alan Chavez, Lion’s Club of Seal Beach, SA Recycling and Pacific Premier Bank.”
For more information about the “A Night in Old Havana Gala,” or to purchase Gala tickets or to donate to this year’s campaign, please go to www.TheYouthCenter.org.
The Youth Center is a non-profit organization whose mission is to transform children’s lives one family at a time through collaborative social, educational and recreational programs. Since the birth of the Youth Center in 1952, The Youth Center has been honored to establish valuable partnerships within the community and acknowledges their critical importance in the organization’s current and future success. For additional information on The Youth Center, please call (562) 493-4043 or visit www.TheYouthCenter.org.
