OUR LAGUNA:Fundraisers to boost women’s health

Shirley Lorenz’s new job as the Laguna Beach Community Clinic director of development plunked her right in the middle of planning a major fundraiser.

“Monday was her first day and we scheduled a committee meeting that night for the May 5, Sunset Fiesta fundraiser,” said Carolyn Bent, who held the post for the last year as a volunteer.

Lorenz will coordinate all fundraising for the clinic, except for the event scheduled for 6 to 11 p.m., April 28, at the Stylistic Intervention contemporary home store on Forest Avenue.

“That is Sondra Piorek’s baby,” said Lynda Reidling, clinic outreach coordinator and nurse practitioner.

Piorek is the owner of the store and no stranger to fundraising. She once worked for muralist Wyland, planning tours that included fundraisers. The grand opening of the store included a fundraiser for families displaced by the Bluebird Canyon landslide.

“I try to do four fundraisers a year,” Piorek said. “I was born at South Coast Medical Center, and I love Laguna. It’s my home, and I want to give back to it.”

Money raised at the event will help fund the clinic’s sixth annual Women’s Day Health Fair, set for 9 a.m. to 1 p.m., May 19, at Main Beach.

The fundraiser will include an appearance by model and actress Honey Labrador, seen on “Queer Eye for the Straight Guy” and star of its spinoff, “Queer Eye for the Straight Girl.”

Labrador will show off her line of hand-painted jeans for the new L Word clothing collection at the event, which also will include a pink martini bar, hors d’oeuvres, raffling of works by local artists and special prize of a luncheon with Labrador at the Hotel Laguna.

Admission is free.

“Hopefully, that will bring in a lot of people,” Piorek said. “Donations will be accepted, and all proceeds from the raffle and the bar sales will benefit the Women’s Health Day.”

Women’s Health Day is Reidling’s baby.

“Through this event, we provide a variety of health screenings and patient education important to women’s general health,” Reidling said.

The clinic has collaborated for the past five years with the California Department of Health Services to increase public awareness of significant women’s health issues, including breast cancer, and to offer free screenings for blood pressure, diabetes, anemia, cholesterol, osteoporosis and HIV.

Groups that provide specialized service to women, such as the Community Dental Clinic in Laguna Beach, Laura’s House, Info Link, the American Lung Association, Medical Outreach and the Ovarian Cancer Orange County Alliance will participate. The Laguna Beach Senior Center has also been invited, Reidling said.

“Women are generally caregivers and often put off seeking care for themselves,” Reidling said. “This type of event allows women the opportunity to obtain necessary screenings to guide health care, as well as encourage them to seek pertinent community resources for themselves and family members.

“Through this service, Laguna Beach Community Clinic is able to achieve our goal of educating and empowering women to seek appropriate health care and achieve physical and emotional well being.”

Sponsors are sought to supplement the cost of supplies, salaries and rental equipment for the event.

The clinic has offered its services in Laguna for more than 37 years, first on a free basis and later, on a sliding scale, to anyone in need.

General services include immunizations, well-baby check-ups, in addition to its women’s health services and the anonymous HIV testing program.

Among the clinic specialties available to patients: neurology, urology, podiatry, optometry and cardiology. The clinic also provides chronic disease programs for asthma, diabetes, hypertension and HIV treatment.

Teens are given immunizations, health education and counseling, referrals, sports and school physicals, instructed on skin care and birth control, tested for pregnancy, screened and treated for sexually transmitted diseases.

The clinic’s patients’ payments represents about 8% of the funding sources. Federal and state reimbursement programs — Medicare and MedCal, etc., — fund 39% of the costs.

Government grants from sources such as the Ryan White AIDS funding and tobacco settlement revenue bring in 36% of the funding. Foundation and corporate support comes from the Susan G. Komen Breast Cancer Foundation and designated United Way funds.

About 17% of the funding comes from private donations.

“Proceeds from the Cinco de Mayo event will fund the clinic’s patient care programs for women and children’s health services,” Lorenz said.

The invitation-only fundraiser will be held at the innovative new home of Kirk and Mary Kate Saunders in Rimrock Canyon.

The “modern rustic” home was designed with one-of-a-kind reclaimed materials. Hardwood flooring came from a bowling lane, doors from a 1920s bank and a bathtub from a Bette Davis home. Environmentally sensitive “green” construction techniques were used.

Jakki Tonkovich is the event chair, assisted by committee members Carolyn and Dr. Tom Bent, Karen Kredel, Sally Ojala, Catherine Talarico and clinic board members Bill De Land, Larry Gorum, Elaine Lawson and Debbie Mulligan.

The clinic is at 362 Third St. For more information, call (949) 494-0761.

ONLY IN LAGUNA

The annual Only in Laguna Fashion Show, a Laguna Board of Realtors and Affiliates fundraiser, will divide proceeds of more than $14,000 between No Square Theatre, the Laguna Beach Senior Center and Friendship Shelter.

Realtor and Minister Patty Truman coordinated and facilitated the show, which she conceived.

The show featured Mayor Toni Iseman, City Treasurer Laura Parisi, Laguna Board of Realtors President Wayne Woodyard, Laguna Beach firefighters Alex Pacheco and Thomas Padden, No Square founder Bree Burgess Rosen, veteran Realtors Marie Thomas and William Powell and Arts Commissioner Pat Kollenda, who sang, danced and modeled.

Also: Commentator Jerry Beiser; Planning Commissioner and Realtor Bob Chapman, making his runway debut; affiliate Milton Aquilar, model and committee member Katie Alexander; Taryn Dicterow; Festival of Arts board member John Hoover; Tom Simpson; and David Meekma. Pat Quilter appeared as Eiler Larsen.