Professional Child Development Associates (PCDA) hosted its Seventh Annual Harvest Moon Dinner and Art Auction on Saturday, Sept. 19, 2015 at the home of Mario and Therese Molina in South Pasadena. The event had 350 people in attendance and raised more than $100,000 for the children and young adults receiving services at PCDA, doubling the net proceeds of last year’s event.
Attendees were treated to passed hors d’oeuvres, wine and beer, live music by a quartet from Pasadena Symphony, and a gourmet dinner prepared by celebrated chef Claud Beltran. The evening kicked off with a silent auction and ended with a rousing live auction lead by auctioneer Jim Ciccolo. The theme of the gala was “Designing for the Future,” representing PCDA’s enduring commitment to providing high-quality services to children and young adults with autism and other developmental challenges.
Two awards were presented during the evening’s festivities. The PCDA Achievement Award was presented to Jamaal Clipps, a recent graduate of PCDA’s Teen Club. Clipps was diagnosed with autism at the age of three and received services at PCDA from age six to 18. During that time, he developed friendships, worked on his social skills and learned to be more independent. He is now attending Pasadena Community College and hopes to become a police officer. Carolyn Watson was honored with the PCDA Humanitarian Award for her ongoing support of the organization. She is an entrepreneur, philanthropist and parent of a PCDA alumnus. In addition to the award, the new Carolyn Watson Creative Arts Scholarship Fund was unveiled. The fund will help provide adapted music and art lessons to children of all ages and abilities.
The event was attended by several local politicians and dignitaries including U.S. Congressmember Judy Chu, Assemblymember Adrin Nazarian, South Pasadena Mayor Robert Joe, former Pasadena Mayor Bill Bogaard, former Assemblymember Anthony Portantino, Alex Keledjian from Supervisor Antonovich’s office, and Lieutenant Tracey Ibarra and Lieutenant Jesse Carrillo from the Pasadena Police Department. Event sponsors included Lockton Insurance, Odom and Kate Stamps, The Harvey and Ellen Knell Foundation, The Burketriolo Family Foundation, United Agencies Inc. and Capital Group, among others.
About Professional Child Development Associates (PCDA)
PCDA is a nonprofit organization that offers a range of multidisciplinary screening, evaluation, therapy and specialized services for children and young adults, birth through 21 years of age, and their families, when there is any concern regarding development or behavior. This includes children with a diagnosis of autism, intellectual disabilities, epilepsy, cerebral palsy, learning disabilities, premature birth, genetic syndromes and/or other developmental or behavioral concerns. Utilizing a DIRFloortime® relationship-based approach, PCDA is an innovator in multidisciplinary team services and training that recognizes the importance of supporting the whole child and special relationships with parents, siblings, other caregivers and friends. For more information, call (626) 793-7350 or visit www.pcdateam.org. Follow PCDA on Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn, Pinterest and YouTube.
