The Crowd: Serving People in Need hits special event out of the park
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What’s better than a balmy summer California night at the ballgame? The nonprofit Serving People in Need (SPIN), a longtime Costa Mesa-based organization placing Orange County families with children facing a housing crisis in permanent residency, converged for a recent Monday night game at Angel Stadium.
Celebrating the generosity of donors who sustain the families they serve, SPIN Board Chairman Curtis Scheetz, president emeritus of Total Environmental Management, Inc. (TEM) with his wife, Jill Scheetz, underwrote and sponsored a special evening at the Angels game billed as a “Home Run of Donor Appreciation.”
The location of choice for this gesture of appreciation came with a special meaning and connection. A year before, at the annual SPIN dinner gala, Grammy-nominated country signer-songwriter Steven Cade came in from Nashville to entertain the SPIN crowd. Cade was sought out by event chair MaryLou Shattuck and other members of the board, not simply for his talent, but most significantly for his selfless dedication to foster children.
Cade, his wife, Kellee, and their two teenage children, Levi and Eliana work closely together supporting his “Giving Guitars” Foundation that promotes hope through music. Cade inspires foster kids with the gift of a guitar, music lessons, and more.
“Music changes lives, and its inspiration turns around the hardest of circumstances,” the singer said. “Kids who have experienced so much challenge early in life must have inspiration to find a path to a better life.”
With that purpose, the Cade family travel the country making music and performing for a living while giving back through Giving Guitars. It is the perfect charitable union for SPIN and its purpose of keeping families together in safe, decent and affordable housing.
Fast forward one year and Cade, who has sung at other ballparks, expressed desire to perform at Angel Stadium. SPIN went on a mission, reaching out to Angels staff Camille Maciel and Jason Yokoyama to find an avenue for Cade to sing the National Anthem at the park. Angels chairman Dennis Kuhl made it all happen, and Cade sang the anthem with great country style and feeling, also returning to perform “Take Me Out to the Ballgame.” The crowd in the stadium cheered.
Meanwhile, Curtis Scheetz arranged to secure a row of box suites above home base, stretching to first base and filled with SPIN donors, supporters, and many long-time advocates of housing support in Orange County.
Among the crowd were SPIN Executive Director David Wetzel and his wife, Kathleen; major SPIN donors and board members Dick and Kim Crawford, Charlie Granville, Maureen Flanagan, Al DeGrassi, Craig and Katie Domagala, Michael Gilmore, Wayne and MaryLou Shattuck, Jim and Carmen Hindman, Tom and Crystal Cook, Jim and Lorie Buchanon, John and Carolyn Couts, all front and center for SPIN. Guests also included Mark Ontiveros, Henry Ontiveros, Laurie Ruiz, Tom McKinney, Andre Dhont, Ben Hooker with son Jude, Laurie Jacobs and others.
The game ended with an Angels win, and an important win for SPIN and families they serve with housing placement and more in Orange County.
Coming up for SPIN, the annual 2025 gala will be held Sept. 27 at the Westin South Coast Plaza Hotel. The evening is billed as Cirque du SPIN and will feature acrobatic performances in the big white top tent adjacent to the Westin Pool. Special guests of honor recognized for their philanthropy in the OC will be Debra Gunn Downing and South Coast Plaza, and the Croul Family Foundation for its legacy of giving over generations.
For tickets and to learn more about SPIN go to spinoc.org or call (714) 751-1101 ext. 106.
