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Fundraising Hockey Players

There were whistles and cat calls when acclaimed Orange County comedienne and event co-host Cindy Burns asked Ducks players Teemu Selanne, Jean-Sebastian Giguere and Ryan Getzlaf to strike poses wearing fashions from Nordstrom South Coast Plaza at the inaugural Anaheim Ducks Wives and Significant Others Fashion Luncheon. Held at a private residence in Newport Beach on a bright, sunny day in late February, the high-energy event drew a sold-out crowd of 255 and netted $120,000 for the creation of a Ducks-themed Teen Room on the oncology floor at Children’s Hospital of Orange County. CBS 2’s Emmy Award-winning journalist Laura Diaz, who joined Burns as event co-host, said of the Ducks visit to CHOC to show off the team’s Stanley Cup, “I can only imagine the smiles on their young faces.” Anaheim Ducks Executive Vice President and COO Tim Ryan commented on the partnership, saying, “We stand by CHOC 1000 percent.” The garden party-themed affair included informal modeling of spring fashions, thanks to Nordstrom, as well as a tasty Crème de la Crème luncheon. The table centerpieces, brightly colored florals in tin watering cans signed by each of the Ducks players, proved to be a hot bid item. Ducks TV host Kent French led the live auction, which saw both Monica Furman and Marleen Darras each pay $12,000 for a golf outing for four with Selanne and Getzlaf at the Coto de Caza Golf & Racket Club. Hard core Ducks fan Donna Miller, who confessed she can never wear her Ducks jersey to a game because, as she put it, “every time I do, they lose,” paid $3,750 for dinner for four with Giguere and his wife Kristen and Caroline and Todd Marchant at The Cannery Newport Beach, including limousine service. It was left to eight-year-old Sarah Grant from Huntington Beach to bring the event’s message home. Diagnosed with leukemia at 14 months, the girl’s moving CHOC story brought tears to many. Event chair Caroline Marchant led the event committee. “We expect to make this event an annual addition to the Ducks community calendar,” she said. Echoing that was Ducks co-owner Susan Samueli, who said next year her husband and Ducks co-owner Henry Samueli, who was unable to attend, would model as well. Pssst… Selanne’s prediction for a Stanley Cup repeat? “I think we have all the tools to do it again, but it’s not going to come easily.” --By Donna Bunce / Photos By Ann Chatillon