By Daily Press staff
A week-long luxury cruise for a party of 10 on a custom-built yacht is the highlight of St. Monica Catholic Church’s annual charity dinner auction on Saturday, April 16.
Proceeds from the annual “S.M.A.S.H. (for St. Monica’s Academic and Spiritual Heritage) by the Shore” event, to be held at the Fairmont Miramar Hotel in Santa Monica, will help provide tuition assistance for students at St. Monica Elementary and High schools and benefit the education endowment for lay leaders in the church’s community.
Last year’s S.M.A.S.H. drew 350 people and raised $160,000. Organizers are hoping this year’s event, moved to a larger venue, will attract up to 500 people.
“The S.M.A.S.H. dinner auction is a marvelous event supporting a tremendous cause, providing youth with an excellent education that will benefit them for life,” said Monsignor Torgerson of St. Monica Parish.
Also to be offered in the live auction are ticket packages including four tickets to the “American Idol” finals, four Dodgers dugout club seats for Aug. 12 when they play the New York Mets, and eight tickets to the USC-Notre Dame football game in South Bend, Ind. The evening’s live and silent auctions will total more than 200 items, including weekends in Mammoth, Big Bear, Carmel, Lake La Quinta, Cabo San Lucas as well as spa/salon packages, dinners at leading restaurants, theater and opera tickets, design services, gift baskets and more.
Tickets for the dinner and auction are $125 per person, of which $50 is tax-deductible. Offered separately will be tickets — limited to 300 at $100 each — for a $10,000 drawing. The event will begin at 6 p.m. with cocktails and hors d’oeuvres and the silent auction. The live auction will follow the dinner, Black tie is optional, and there will be valet parking at the hotel, located at Wilshire Boulevard and Ocean Avenue. To make reservations, call Diane Techam at (310) 393-9287, ext. 326. Youth has national honors in his sights
Originally published in the Santa Monica Daily Press print edition on March 31, 2005. Read the original PDF.