Dana Point Women’s Club Fundraiser Benefits SparkPoint South OC

Dana Point Women’s Club (DPWC) hosted close to 100 people on Wednesday, April 10th at Aventura Sailing Club in Dana Point Harbor, at its third annual “Cocktails for a Cause” benefiting Orange County United Way’s financial empowerment program, Spark Point South Orange County. The event opened with cocktails and charcuterie as participants listened to music by Mike Hamilton, perused beautiful silent auction and raffle tables and tried their luck at a fun wine pull. Silent Auction and Raffle donors were acknowledged in the event program and sponsors and major donors were hailed on a large poster at the event entrance.

DPWC First Vice President, Toni Nelson introduced Sue Parks, a valued DPWC member, former Fortune 500 executive, award-winning founder of the Women’s Philanthropy Fund and Orange County United Way’s CEO and President since 2017. Ms. Parks recounted the incredible success of the non-profit’s SparkPoint Program, which uses financial literacy education to provide vulnerable families and individuals with tools to help them not just “survive, but thrive."

Project Manager Rosa Conde provided impressive statistics showing how program participants with an average household income of $37,000 benefited from the SparkPoint Program, working with one on one counselors for up to 12 months, yielding higher incomes, savings rates and credit scores and lower debt burdens. The program is now offered at eight locations throughout Orange County, including the SparkPoint South Orange County Program which was the direct beneficiary of Cocktails for a Cause.

Following dinner, volunteer auctioneer Bob Lee led a spirited, fun-filled competition for an electric bike and Chargers tickets donated by Jason Spates of Doheny Bike and Trucklenders USA, a cocktail cruise for six donated by Garry Nelson, and two all day event rentals for the Club’s charming Lantern District event venue, Community House. In a direct example of the synergistic effects of charitable giving, one event venue was purchased by the City of Dana Point for the Pet Project Foundation, which inspired DPWC to make an identical purchase on behalf of its Project Foster beneficiary, My Own - A Case for Kids.

Event Chair, Ways & Means Director, Marla Freeman was happy to report that “our third annual Cocktails for a Cause yielded $18,000 in net proceeds for SparkPoint South Orange County. We’re so happy to use our time, talent and resources to support this worthy cause. As always, these events don’t happen without the support and generosity of both our members and the local community. My sincere thanks to our very supportive sponsors, donors, members and guests for helping this event grow each year. “