Column: The Crowd: Share Our Selves and Kure It reflect the best of the best

The tradition lives on. Share Our Selves held its 26th annual “Wild & Crazy Taco Night” at its headquarters on Superior Avenue in Costa Mesa. Upward of 700 supporters of SOS converged on the property for the annual celebration, which is anticipated with enthusiasm.

The concept is simple: Invite Orange County’s top chefs to create the most original tacos imaginable, and the crowds will come. The roster of chefs ran the gourmet gamut, including Rich Mead of the Farmhouse, Linda Johnsen of Filomena’s Italian Kitchen & Market, Greg Daniels of Harley Laguna Beach, and Katy Smith of Puesto. Also front and center for the charitable event were Max Schlutz of Sessions West Coast Deli and Josemaria “Chema” Velasquez of SOL Cocina and Shachi Mehra of ADYA, to name only a few.

Proceeds benefit the SOS Food Pantry, providing critical food to low-income and homeless Orange County residents. Food is collected by volunteers and staff drivers from grocery stores, restaurants, bakeries and caterers and delivered to SOS five days a week for distribution. Each weekday SOS prepares about 235 bags of groceries, which are given to individuals and families in need. Wild & Crazy Taco Night raised about $75,000.

To learn more visit shareourselves.org.

Kure It hits the $1 million Mark

Kure It, a small but passionate local nonprofit dedicated to funding cancer research, announced reaching $1 million in grants in 2019. Kure It donors gathered for a reception to announce the milestone in their 11th year of raising funds for cancer research. The $1 million level already accomplished in the first quarter of the year adds to more than $8 million Kure It has raised since its founding by the late Barry Hoeven. To date, Kure It has funded 34 cancer research projects at 13 centers.

At the recent gathering it was also announced that the nonprofit has formed a new research partnership with the UC Irvine Chao Family Comprehensive Cancer Center. Generous local donors, including significant corporate support from organizations like US Storage Centers, Westport Properties, City National Bank, Briggs Electric, Bank of the West Commercial Banking, Sperry Commercial & Sperry Equities, the Leeson Group, the Muller Co. and the William Warren Group, have made the financial success possible.

Kure It executive director Susan Miller welcomed VIP guests, including Todd Perry, Kure It board chair and chief financial officer of Briggs Electric; Paul McDonald, senior vice president at Fidelity National Title; Marian Waterman, of the UCI Cancer Research Institute and Chao Cancer Center; Charles Byerly, president and chief executive of Westport Properties; and Drew Hoeven, son of the late Barry Hoeven, also with Westport Properties. Also on hand, Burton and Linda Young, dedicated supporters of Kure It and organizers of the annual Rivals Cup Golf Tournament, announced that the second annual USC/UCLA Golf Challenge June 7 at Pelican Hill Golf Club will benefit Kure It cancer research.

To learn more go to kureit.org.

B.W. COOK is editor of the Bay Window, the official publication of the Balboa Bay Club in Newport Beach.

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