ENCINITAS, California (Press Release) — Seacrest Foundation’s Women’s Auxiliary presents the 44th annual gala on June 12, 2022. The Reunion Gala promises to be a joyful regathering to celebrate the strength and commitment of the Seacrest community of supporters. This special reunion will be held outdoors at a private residence and vineyard in Rancho Santa Fe. Guests will enjoy a champagne and cocktail reception, a 3-course wine-paired dinner overlooking the vineyard, and exceptional entertainment. Guests will also have opportunities to deepen their community impact through an auction and Fund-a-Need Program.
All proceeds from the Reunion Gala will support the Seacrest Village Resident Assistance Fund, which provides charitable care for residents in need who may have nowhere else to turn for help. Approximately $2.5 million in charitable care is needed to cover costs of basic expenses such as food, shelter, and physical care. This fundraising goal is driven by a dedicated group of Co- Chairs: Cindy Bloch, Mary Epsten, Jane Ottenstein, Jean Gaylis, and Shari Schenk.
Co-Chair Cindy Bloch has been a wonderful supporter for decades of Seacrest Foundation’s annual campaigns, as well as capital drives for building new facilities. She has chaired several Seacrest Foundation events, is a Women’s Auxiliary and Guardians committee member, and is President of the Seacrest Foundation Board of Directors. Seacrest Foundation is grateful to have Cindy’s experience as a Co-Chair for this year’s special event. Cindy and her husband, Larry, are tremendous supporters of the Jewish Community and the San Diego Community at large and have been instrumental in the success of Seacrest Village and Seacrest Foundation.
Mary Epsten has served as the Women’s Auxiliary President for 28 years. Mary began visiting residents at “the Home” as a teenager and became a passionate supporter and member of the Women’s Auxiliary after joining in 1989. Following years of chairing and providing critical leadership for Seacrest’s major annual fundraising events (galas, fashion shows, and golf tournaments), Mary joined the Seacrest Foundation Board of Directors where her expertise and commitment are invaluable to the organization’s many successes. Mary and husband, Jon, are proud of the Epsten family history with Seacrest, as Jon’s grandparents, Eleanor & Harry Epsten, donated the land on which Seacrest (formerly known as San Diego Hebrew Homes and Hebrew Homes of the Aged) was originally built. Mary’s passion and dedication to Seacrest and taking care of seniors are an inspiration to all who know her.
Jane Ottenstein has been involved with Seacrest Village for many years and is a member of the Seacrest Foundation Board. She and her late husband, Victor, were instrumental in the expansion of the Seacrest Encinitas Campus having named the Ottenstein Vitality Center. Jane is a member of the Jewish National Fund Board of Directors and President Advisor, and World Chairman Council member. She has devoted herself to her family’s business and philanthropic interests including the development and funding of the Ottenstein Family Biochemical Research Laboratory at Brandeis University, The Ottenstein Family Hall at the Betty Ford Center in Palm Springs, CA, the Jewish Chapel project at the U.S. Naval Academy in Annapolis, MD, and the Ottenstein Center for Prostate Cancer Research at Suburban Hospital in Washington, DC. Jane is currently President of the Ottenstein Family Foundation and is actively involved with the Old Globe Theatre in San Diego and the San Diego Opera and supporter of the Fire Department and the Police Department. Jane’s experience and passion for the elderly will make significant contributions as a Reunion Gala Co-Chair.
Co-Chair Jean Gaylis has been supporting the Women’s Auxiliary for 25 years and is a leader in both the San Diego Jewish community and the South African Jewish community. She is the founder of the Shalom Baby program through the Lawrence Family JCC, which helps San Diego families celebrate the arrival of their Jewish newborns and welcomes them to the San Diego Jewish Community by offering free family social and educational programming. Jean’s daughter and son-in-law, Jackie and Todd Kirschen, are very close to Seacrest as Todd’s grandmother, Evelyn Sherman, is a resident at Seacrest Village. Jean is a member of the Seacrest Foundation Board of Directors, and we are delighted to have her wisdom, creativity, and passion as a guide. We are so grateful that she is a Co-Chair for this Reunion Gala.
Shari Schenk has been a long-time leader in the San Diego Jewish Community. Shari currently serves as Immediate Past President of the Jewish National Fund—San Diego Board. She is Past Board Chair at the San Diego Jewish Academy, and a former president of the Agency for Jewish Education. She was a board member of the United Jewish Federation’s Women’s Division for nearly 10 years, and also served on the boards of the Lawrence Family Jewish Community Center, the Center for Jewish Culture and Hillel of San Diego. Shari is passionate about Seacrest Village after experiencing the incredible care her father received there as a resident of the Rancho Bernardo independent living and the Goldberg skilled nursing facilities. We are honored to have her on the Women’s Auxiliary as a Co-Chair for the Reunion Gala.
“For over 40 years, the San Diego community has turned out in impressive numbers to help raise funds to give hope to seniors who are desperately in need of housing, comfort and support,” said Mary Epsten, President of the Women’s Auxiliary. “Each year we gather to support Seacrest’s important mission of providing services to seniors in a Jewish environment that promotes community, independence and innovation. Requests from Seacrest Village for charitable care exceed nearly 2.5 million dollars annually. Seacrest Foundation is thrilled to reunite our supporters after a two-year separation due to the pandemic so that we can help to meet this growing need.”
The Reunion Gala will take place in full compliance with current CDC guidelines. More information about the Sunday afternoon, June 12, 2022, Reunion Gala is available at seacrestfoundation.org/gala. For additional event information or sponsorship and underwriting opportunities, please contact Karen Moy, Foundation Special Events Manager at 760-516-2015 or kmoy@seacrestfoundation.org.
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Preceding provided by the Seacrest Foundation