H.E.L.P. Sets Fun-Filled Hawaiian Event

A ticket to "Hula with H.E.L.P.", H.E.L.P.'s six annual Celebrate Summer fundraiser will provide an evening of fun, umbrella drinks, ukulele music and hula dancing, live and silent auctions, exciting raffle prizes, great company and more. Wear flowered shirts, flip-flops and grass skirts and join the fun at "Hula with H.E.L.P.!" starting at 6:00 p.m. on Friday, July 20 at the Torrance Memorial Health Conference Center. Tickets are $125. For reservations and information, contact the H.E.L.P. office at 310-533-1996.

Unique wines, jewelry, baskets, vacation homes and much more will be available to tempt you. You can get away from it all and enjoy a five night Hawaiian vacation in an ocean view suite at the beautiful Fairmont Kea Lani Resort on Maui (donated by Jimi Andersen), or spend a week in beautiful West County Clare, Ireland at an Irish cottage overlooking the River Shannon (donated by Lou Atha). If you're looking for a unique eating experience and a fabulous tour, join the Torrance Fire Department for dinner (donated by the Torrance Fire Department) or spend a weekend at the beautiful Meritage Resort at Napa, nestled in the heart of the Carneros region. Enjoy four box seats at the Tchaikovsky Spectacular at the Hollywood Bowl (donated by Tom and Ruth Shigekuni), attend the Toyota Grand Prix of Long Beach (compliments of Toyota Motor Sales, U.S.A., Inc.), take a VIP tour of the award-winning Eberle Winery or the Domaine Carneros winery, enjoy a family photography session at CMS Design Portraiture or at Joey Ikemoto Photography, Inc., and much more.

Every dollar raised at the event will go directly to H.E.L.P.'s programs for elders and families. This is possible because the event's costs have been generously underwritten by sponsors who include: Torrance Memorial Medical Center, BP-Carson, Mackenroth Land Company, Inc., Toyota Motor Sales, U.S.A., Inc., Alcoa Fastening Systems, Bank of America, Bay Cities National Bank, The Boeing Company, Burkley & Brandlin LLP, Continental Development Corporation, Emily Stuhlbarg & Associates, Inc., Enright Premier Wealth Advisors, Inc., Fulbright & Jaworski L.L.P., Jayne Products, Inc., Little Company of Mary Community Health Foundation, Palos Verdes Engineering Corp., Rotary Club of Del Amo, Sunrise Assisted Living, Virco Mfg. Corporation, Adia Home Care, Belmont Village of Rancho Palos Verdes, California Water Service Company, City National Bank, Cronkite & Kissell LLC, The Elliott Group at Smith Barney, Green Hills Memorial Park, Kaiser Permanente, Kathleen D. Crane, A Law Corporation, L.A. Press, Malaga Bank, and South Bay Bank.

"Community support has made it possible for us to set records each year for helping elders and families, and Celebrate Summer is our most public way to invite that support," said Ed Long, H.E.L.P. executive director. "Our hard-working event committee has created a fun-filled evening. Our generous sponsors have provided the financial base. Now it's our great community that can make this fun evening our most successful fundraising event ever - and help us keep up with the growing demand for our services."

Jimi Andersen, H.E.L.P. board member and event committee chair, added: "Our enthusiastic committee has planned delightful and fun activities for H.E.L.P.'s sixth Celebrate Summer fundraiser, so please come and join us and 'Hula with H.E.L.P' on July 20." Committee members include Carolyn Ayers, Eleanor Barkelew, Mary Cilva, Joanne & Cliff Evans, Liz Fitzgerald, Judy Gibson, Tim Gray, Cathy Grove, Cathy Hendrickson, Bob Kennedy, Rhea Laughlin, Pat Long, Nan Salley, Jennifer & Rich Sittel, Karen & Chuck Tucker and Anne Wittels.

H.E.L.P. is an award-winning Torrance, California -based non-profit education and counseling center providing impartial information to older adults and families on elder care, law, finances and more. Since its inception in 1996, it has helped thousands of individuals, couples and families. Its services include public classes, private consultations, publications and telephone and Internet assistance. H.E.L.P. is located at 1404 Cravens Avenue, Torrance, California 90501. The phone number is (310) 533-1996, and the Internet addresses are www.help4srs.org, www.annuitytruth.org and www.better-endings.org.