Society: The Magic of Music benefits children

The San Diego Center for Children annual dinner hit a high note June 18 at the U.S. Grant Hotel as music director Sundiata Kata was honored.

The San Diego Center for Children's Magic of Music event's honorary chair, San Diego Mayor Jerry Sanders, with the event's honoree Sundiata Kata, and chair Doreen Schonbrun

Kata has used music to help thousands of children who have suffered abuse find a happier future.

Kata was honored twice for his endeavors; once with a plaque from the Center, and again with a proclamation from Mayor Sanders declaring June 18 is Sundiata Kata Day.

Hundreds of supporters turned out to support the center.

Among the many who attended were Joni and Elliott Alpert, Lisa and Bill Barkett, Carole Laventhal, Vince Heald and Clinton Walters, Pam and Phil Palisoul, Colette and Ivor Royston, Sheryl and Harvey White, Karen and Donald Cohn, Patti and Coop Cooprider, Cindy Goodman, and Doreen and Dr. Myron Schonbrun.

Chair Doreen Schonbrun did a tremendous amount of work organizing the event.

Also in the crowd were Valarie and Dan Donoghue, Mary Johnson, Paul Nestor, Dana Crogan, Drs. Bobby and Biraj Garg, Katherine Kennedy and Robert Horsman, Robert Gleason and Marc Matys, Linda and Mel Katz, Cristull and Victor Hasson, Gloria and Bert Levi, Elizabeth and Chad Neubrand, Lora and Bob Sandroni, Maureen and Dave McCaslin, and Kary and Michael Favish.

The evening started with a silent auction and cocktails.

Guests mingled and then headed upstairs to the grand ballroom for dinner, a live auction and entertainment.

The Kids with a Song choir performed and so did the Kids with a Beat percussion group.

Pianist Greg Watson also performed. Watson has played classical music since the age of 17, and played for Ike and Tina Turner, and Motown’s Mary Wells. He also did worldwide tours playing for Jose Feliciano.

Ed Reynolds won the 2009 Mark Shipman Award for his outstanding clinical service as a lead child development counselor. Reynolds has that unique ability to calm children. He also remembers something positive and special about each child.

Kary and Michael Favish noted that under the leadership of CEO Dave McCaslin, the Center for Children has flourished.

“Michael and I are so proud of Dave McCaslin for his commitment and hard work that resulted in the evening’s overwhelming success,” they said. ”It was so heartwarming to see people giving to this important and essential cause in such hard economic times.”

And give they did. Nearly $200,000 was raised.

Two $20,000 bids won cruises on The World. Darlene Shiley cast the winning $7,100 bid for a one-of-a-kind dinner prepared by Mayor Jerry Sanders and his wife Rana Sampson, who will cook for Shirley and five guests. Sanders and Sampson were also the event’s honorary chairs.

To learn more about the San Diego Center for Children please visit www.centerforchildren.org

To view more photos and coverage of this event, visit www.thesocialdiary.com

Margo Schwab is the editor of TheSocialDiary.com and the society writer for San Diego News Network. To notify her about your upcoming event, e-mail mschwab@san.rr.com.

Tags: Magic of Music, Margo Schwab, SDNN, Society, The San Diego Center for Children

This entry was posted on Tuesday, June 30th, 2009 at 8:43 pm and is filed under Columns, Home & Garden, Lifestyle . You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.