“Monte Carlo Casino Night exceeded our wildest expectations,” said Kathy McCarrell, MSW, executive director of the Child Abuse Prevention Center. “The energy generated at this event was intoxicating; people were actually cheering at the craps tables. Not only did we raise enough money to fund our “Teen Voices, Teen Choices” prevention program for another year, we’ve had many of the athletes and their wives commit to doing this event again next year because they had so much fun putting it together!”

More than 22 professional athletes from the NHL, MLB and NFL turned out for the event, which was themed as a glamorous Monte Carlo casino. The athletes participated as either dealers or players and included some great winning hands by Darin Erstad, Jim Everett, Bobby Grich, Dick and Robb Nen, Dave Wilson, Clyde Wright and more. Even Olympian, Terry Bankey, and Tennis Champ, Lyndsay Davenport were in attendance. Despite their Mighty Duck husbands Teemu Selanne and Sami Pahlsson being in the Stanley Cup playoffs in Canada, Sirpa Selanne and Johanna Naslund wouldn’t have missed the event and brought along friends to play and bid in the silent auction.

The event was chaired by Coto de Caza resident Jendy Nen, whose husband Robb retired from the San Francisco Giants in 2002. “It has been an honor for me to work with such a great committee, as well as the staff at the Child Abuse Prevention Center to put on this event,” said Jendy Nen. “Tonight shows that our hard work has paid off, and the great news is that many of us wives have become good friends as a result of organizing this fundraiser. We can’t wait to do it again next year!”

When not gambling or bidding on the silent auction, the athletes and VIP guests enjoyed the VIP lounge. Over 200 guests enjoyed gourmet hors d’oeuvres and fabulous desserts.

The evening’s silent auction, which kept guests busy with a flurry of bids, featured over 70 baskets of spectacular items secured by the committee, including a Mighty Ducks jersey signed by the entire team. Event sponsors included major sponsor Nationwide Auction Systems, as well as R obb and Jendy Nen, Teemu and Sirpa Selanne, Athletes First, AutoHaus West, The Bixby Land Company, The Busch Firm, Crevier BMW, Los Angeles Pump and Valve Products, Clamp Manufacturing, Richard and Clasina Johnson, Mrs. Hans Prager, The Shopoff Group, StillPoint Wealth Management, and TOD Properties.

The Child Abuse Prevention Center is committed to breaking the generational cycle of child abuse, domestic violence and teen pregnancy in Orange County. The Prevention Center’s early intervention programs have well-documented records of strengthening and improving parent-child relationships and working to prevent abuse before it occurs. Since 1984, the Prevention Center has served more than 150,000 Orange County residents – including 16,000 children and 5,000 families in the last year alone.

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The Orange County Child Abuse Prevention Center is a 501 (c)(3) Public Benefit Corporation. 
All contributions to the event shall not be subject to any donor restrictions. 
Orange County Child Abuse Prevention Center Tax ID #33-0013237