We hear and talk a lot about the season of giving during November as we celebrate Thanksgiving. Gratitude and giving round out many of our holiday celebrations. But throughout the industry, when we look at the entire body of work, our season of giving spans year-round.
Last week, I was fortunate enough to participate in the industry’s 2024 West Coast Golf & Tennis Tournament benefiting Duarte, Calif.-based City of Hope. In addition to the golf and tennis tournaments, the day included live and silent auctions, cocktails, dinner, honoring three great individuals who set the standard for philanthropy and a whole lot of fun.
The 32nd annual event held at the Coto de Caza Golf & Racquet Club in California attracted more than 520 participants. Fundraising reached the $960,000 mark.
David Binke, CEO of King Koil, and Catherine and Richard Frinier, co-founders and principals of Richard Frinier Design Studio, were recognized with the international home furnishings industry’s lifetime achievement award during the event. The trio worked throughout the year to encourage contributions to the event.
Through its support of the annual West Coast event in combination with the industry’s spring Spirit of Life dinner held annually in High Point, the home furnishings industry has raised more than $100 million for the City of Hope. The hospital is a National Cancer Institute-designated comprehensive cancer center, leader in bone marrow transplantation and immunotherapy and has developed treatment protocols to fight cancer, diabetes and other life-threatening diseases.
While this event just happened, there also are other organizations for which the industry goes full throttle in its support.
Looking ahead to this summer during the Las Vegas Market, we’ll gather to once again support people and families living with autism. Doug Krinsky, along with his wife Kelly Krinsky, have been working to raise money for the cause since 2008. At the heart of the Beat Autism Now nonprofit group is the annual Ante4Autism poker tourney held every July during the market.
Since the first tournament in 2009, the Texas Hold‘em event has raised more than $1.3 million that have been donated to a range of autism-related organizations. This year’s tournament will take place July 27 at the South Point Hotel & Casino, and it always draws a great mix of industry notables and professional poker players.
Last and certainly not least, the Seena Magowitz Foundation has been diligently working to fund some of the most cutting-edge research into cancer of the pancreas for more than 20 years. Founded by Roger Magowitz following his mother’s death from pancreatic cancer, the organization has raised more than $14 million for the cause since its founding.
This summer’s Power of Us event will be back in Milwaukee, Wis., Aug. 2-4 culminating with a night at American Family Field, the home of the Milwaukee Brewers, where doctors and patients share the latest updates in research and treatment protocols for the disease.
Each of the organizations has long roots that stretch into the bedding industry, a tight-knit community of companies and leaders that continue to offer support for the causes that matter. That commitment to doing better and lifting up these important causes is what makes us us.
Keep supporting and keep making a difference.
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