Image courtesy of Long Beach Ronald McDonald House.
The 4th Annual A Few Good Men Gala benefitting the Long Beach Ronald McDonald House (LBRMH) saw over 900 attendees gather to honor 12 individuals and raised over $700,000 to support the organization’s mission to support families with critically ill children.
“It was incredible to see our greater Long Beach community turn out — our largest crowd yet, by far – to support our mission of keeping families together during their toughest times,” Cheri Bazley, event host and executive director, Long Beach Ronald McDonald House, said in a statement. “I am humbled by the generosity of this year’s Class of distinguished Honorees, our three previous Classes of Honorees, and our ever-growing circle of friends. We are thrilled to celebrate the constant dedication that these gentlemen have to building a stronger community.”
Recognized as the Class of 2017 Honorees, the Gala, which took place on Wednesday, October 25 at the Pacific Room of the Long Beach Arena, honored the contributions of the following individuals: Mike DuRee, Rick DuRee, Hank Feldman, John Fielder, Tom Good, John Jenkins Jr., Mike Jensen, Senator Ricardo Lara, Whitney Latimer, Henry Matson, James H. Wells, M.D., and Joe Zucchero. The honorees each designed and donated packages for the live auction and entertained guests with a fashion show.
The $700,000 raised will go toward funding 5,600 room-nights at the 23-room house. Since opening its doors in 2011, LBRMH has served more than 3,500 families during their time of need. The House is “built on the simple idea that nothing else should matter when a family is focused on the health of their child – not where they can afford to stay, where they will get their next meal or where they will lay their head at night,” according to the statement.
The House is a program of Ronald McDonald House Charities of Southern California (RMHCSC). For more information about RMHCSC, visit the website here.