Celebrating 115 years of serving Santa Cruz County, Red Cross supporters and community leaders will gather on September 27 at the Cocoanut Grove Ballroom at the Santa Cruz Beach Boardwalk for the third annual “Celebrate the Red Gala 2013”. This headlining, volunteer-led fundraising event will increase awareness of the vital roles the Red Cross plays within the local and global communities and will feature a champagne reception, buffet dinner, music, and a silent and live auction. Mary and the late Richard “Dick” Solari will be presented with the American Red Cross Santa Cruz County Chapter 2013 Humanitarians of the Year award. The Solari family created an impressive and long-lasting philanthropic tradition, including the funding of several major projects such as the Computer Technology Center at Cabrillo College in Aptos and the Mary and Richard Solari Cancer Center at Dominican Hospital in Santa Cruz. Guest speakers of the 2013 Red Cross Gala will highlight how the support by the Solari Family has impacted the community and specifically their organizations. Speakers include Jim Roberts, CEO and President of Granite Construction, Nanette Mickiewicz, M.D., President of Dominican Hospital, Melinda Silverstein, Executive Director of Cabrillo College Foundation, and Lance Linares, CEO of Community Foundation of Santa Cruz County. Presenting Sponsors include Dignity Health Dominican Hospital, Wells Fargo and Granite Construction. Media sponsors include Santa Cruz Sentinel, 92.7 KTOM, 102.5 KDON, and KSCO AM 1080. Table sponsors include Al DeCamera Property, Bank of the West, Fox Racing, Mary Solari Family, PG&E, Falcon Trading and Watsonville Public Works. Hosts Rick Martinez, Board Chair of the Red Cross Santa Cruz County Chapter and Rod Caborn, local auctioneer, will host the silent and live auction during the event. Celebrate the Red 2013 is the American Red Cross Santa Cruz County Chapter’s annual fundraising event that benefits local disaster relief and readiness for Santa Cruz County’s residents and businesses. To learn more information about the event, to buy tickets, or to sponsor the event, please visit redcross.org/santacruz or contact Camilla.Boolootian@redcross.org.