The Boys and Girls Club of Malibu pulled out all the stops Saturday night for its annual fundraiser. Held at the Serra Retreat estate of “The Bachelor” creator Mike Fleiss, the star-studded gala raised $220,000 to support the essential services provided by the community center.
The club’s 2013 Youth of the Year, 17-year-old Mariarely Cruz, was honored before 350 people, including celebrities such as Pierce Brosnan, Cindy Crawford and Rande Gerber, Minnie Driver, Rory Kennedy, Daniel Stern and Julia Roberts. Chris Harrison, host of “The Bachelor,” served as master of ceremonies, while singer Jakob Dylan and the Wallflowers and the group Carousel provided musical entertainment.
Cruz spoke to the crowd about her remarkable story, escaping a South Central Los Angeles neighborhood ruled by gangs. Born with a hole in her heart due to her mother’s drug use that required surgery when she was only nine months old, Cruz said she always felt different. When her father found a job as a handyman in Malibu, she was able to transfer to the local schools.
The Boys and Girls Club allowed her to find her niche, with the help of mentors such as Kasey Earnest, she said. While she is proud to now be expected to graduate from high school, the day she is really looking for ward to “is when I graduate from college.”
Dinner was catered by Malibu Farm. A silent auction featured items such as a private plane trip to Napa, a “dine Malibu” package with gift certificates to local restaurants and other gifts to raise funds.
The club, located on the Malibu High School campus, provides a fun, creative and safe environment for local youth. The club provides services to more than 1,100 youth. Funds raised from Saturday’s event will support field trips, programs such as photography, staff and numerous other activities to nurture youth.
