24th Annual Torrance Memorial Holiday Festival Breaks Record

Torrance, CA - Torrance Memorial Medical Center's 24th Annual Holiday Festival Night, the medical center's premier gala fundraiser enjoyed a record-breaking week in attendance attracting more than 700 guests to the black-tie event and raising $474,000. Funds raised support the new Lemkin Medical/Oncology Pavilion supporting the needs of oncology patients and their families.

The generosity of silent and live auction donors helped to raise funds and included the multiple tree purchases by donors such as G. David Haas , M.D. and the Torrance Family Practice that won the following trees: Bella ($1,500), sponsored by the Luminaries; Christmas at the Beach ($1,300), sponsored by Keesal, Young and Logan; and Have a "Crate" Christmas ($1,150), sponsored by Crate and Barrel.

More than $80,000 was raised through the live auction, a fast-paced and exciting bidding competition that included top-selling items such as a Mediterranean Villa and Private Gourmet Dinner for Ten Friends donated by Melanie and Richard Lundquist and sold to Fran and Rod Peveler for $15,000, and the City by the Bay - A San Francisco Deluxe Getaway for two at the newly opened InterContinental Hotel also donated by Melanie and Richard Lundquist. The Pevelers also won this packed trip for $9,000 that includes a three-night stay in the Presidential Suite ($5,000 per night), a day in wine country, cable car rides, bike rentals, and breakfast daily. The next highly bid upon and one-of-a-kind item, purchased by David Klein and friends for $15,000, was the Day at the Rosenthal Winery in Malibu Estates for 28 Friends, donated by Michael Franks and Chez Melange. The trip begins with a continental breakfast by chef Franks, luxury bus to the Rosenthal Winery for a tour, six-course luncheon, wine tastings, and return ride to a Mexican fiesta complete with Mariachi band.

The Silent Auction, chaired by Regina Finnegan, Linda Perry and Kathleen Wilson, included highlights such as the sale of the American Girls' Dream Come True tree, sponsored by Rotary Club of Del Amo, and sold to Torrance Memorial Board of Trustee Pam Crane (Live Auction Donor) for $2,100; a Carl E. Bucher Men's Time Piece, donated by Morgan's Jewelers, sold to James Scriba for $2,000; and a Staples Center Box for 12, sponsored by W. McMorrow Worldwide Facilities, and purchased by Dolly and Mark Rouse.

At the conclusion of the six-day Holiday Festival event organizers were proud to draw the winning raffle ticket for the 2008 Lexus SC 430 (estimated value $67,000) donated by Lexus, a division of Toyota Motor Sales, U.S.A., Inc. This year's winner was Jan Crosbie, a Torrance Memorial Auxiliary volunteer and nurse who completed training at the medical center in the 1950s.

The 24th Annual Torrance Memorial Holiday Festival, chaired by Dennis Frandsen, was made possible through Las Amigas, a volunteer support arm of the hospital, and event sponsorship provided by the Torrance Memorial Medical Staff, Toyota Motor Sales, U.S.A., Inc., American Honda Motor Co., Inc., Rolling Hills Flower Mart, GS Brothers Landscaping, Classic Tents Event Specialists, John and Billee Gogian, Don and Martha Tuffli and Keenan HealthCare. For further information about upcoming special events and support opportunities offered by Torrance Memorial, visit www.TorranceMemorial.org.