At a rootin’ tootin’ Wild Wild West gala event over the weekend, Cancer Support Community raised thousands of dollars to continue providing life-giving support to individuals affected by cancer.

At the 22nd annual Angel Gala held at Noor Denise and Robert Zeilstra as well as Wells Fargo were honored with Angel Awards, an award that recognizes special people and organizations who selflessly give to the community.

“The angel award is not something that is given to angels, its given by angels,” Denise Zeilstra said in receiving the award, saying she was touched by the stories of people dealing with cancer.

The evening was filled with live and silent auction items including a dinner party for eight in the Blacker House, summer and winter escapes to Montana, and tickets to Brad Paisley, as well as plenty of yee-haw’s during line dancing with Tina Michelle and the Rhinestone Cowboys.

“In a California alone, sixty people are being diagnosed with cancer every hour. Our team makes sure that patients, care givers, families and children know that they have a place to go where it is safe and will get professional help in facing cancer treatment. We are helping people with cancer in a way that no one else can,” Executive Director Beverly Rouse said.

After serving eight years as Executive Director at Cancer Support Community, Beverly Rouse said goodbye at the angel award gala, announcing that she will be retiring.

“It has been a real privilege to be a part of this organization for more than eight years. I have loved every minute of it. I will not be moving on to retirement, I would rather call it restructuring,” Rouse said.

She will be working with international humanitarian nonprofits bringing water to people worldwide as well as perfecting her new passion of hang-gliding.

“When I think of cancer support community, it is sitting in my corner office everyday and listening to people coming into our front doors that are distraught about being recently diagnosed and leave later feeling strengthened and hopeful. There are not a lot of jobs that you get that kind of feedback, but this is one of them,” Rouse said.

Cancer Support Community’s mission is to ensure that all people impacted by cancer are empowered by knowledge, strengthened by action, and sustained by community. CSCP’s programs are provided at no charge and complement medical care.

Programs include: support groups, educational workshops, and mind-body/healthy life style classes for cancer patients, care givers, children whose parents or loved ones have been diagnosed with cancer, and those who have lost a loved one to cancer. The agency projects that more than 12,000 visits will be provided during 2014. Operating expenses are underwritten each year entirely by donations received from individuals, corporations and foundations. For more information, visit www.cscpasadena.org.