(From left) Mandana Sadigh, Mattel senior vice president and treasurer; Caitlin Beck; Johnese Spisso; Richard Dickson, Mattel president and COO; Amy Thompson, Mattel chief people officer; Joe Euteneuer, Mattel chief financial officer; and Dr. Sherin U. Devaskar, physician-in-chief of UCLA Mattel Children’s Hospital and Mattel Executive Endowed Chair in Pediatrics. Photos: Don Ponturo and Ben Shmikler/ABImages
More than 2,000 guests enjoyed a fun-filled day celebrating the 18th Annual Party on the Pier on November 5, 2017, at Pacific Park on the Santa Monica Pier. The event, an ongoing partnership with Mattel, Inc. that highlights the company’s commitment to improving the lives of children, benefits UCLA Mattel Children’s Hospital.
Attendees, including more than 50 sponsored patient families, enjoyed unlimited rides, carnival treats, ice pops and game booths that were filled with Mattel toys donated by the company. Highlights of the day included a Power of Play area sponsored by the Goldhirsh-Yellin Foundation. The play area included cookie decorating, sponsored by Ralphs/Food 4 Less; performances by the BeatBuds; complimentary glitter tattoos by Skechers; hair braiding; and Yoobi arts and crafts. The VIP area, hosted by the Toys “R” Us Foundation, featured music, dance contests and exclusive giveaways, along with lunch, courtesy of Wolfgang Puck Catering. Celebrity guests included Brooke Burke-Charvet, co-host of Dancing With the Stars from 2010 to 2013; Ruby Rose Turner of Fuller House; Rico Rodriguez of Modern Family; Tia Mowry, Tiffani Thiessen and Raini Rodriguez of Austin & Ally; Tori Spelling; and many others who greeted fans, volunteered at the game booths and posed for photos at the interactive selfie station.
“Mattel Party on the Pier is our annual, signature fundraising event and a truly special day for the children who experience our care, their families and all who attend,” said Johnese Spisso, president of UCLA Health and CEO of the UCLA Hospital System. “For the past 18 years, proceeds from Party on the Pier have made a real difference in our ability to provide world-class care for children treated at UCLA and around the world. We are grateful to Mattel for its generous support and to our event committee, hosts and sponsors for all their hard work and dedication.”
Top: (From left) Johnese Spisso; Party on the Pier committee members Masha Chase, Kim Reed, Hillary Milken and Loris Lunsford; Dr. Sherin U. Devaskar, Party on the Pier committee members Brooke Lande, Melissa Mitchell and Jennifer Gardner. Middle Left: Tate Tuckman (left) and Kellye Carroll. Middle Right: The Laker Girls with members of the band The Fourth Kingdom. Bottom Left: (From left) Actors Benjamin Royer, Forrest Wheeler, Raini Rodriguez, Rico Rodriguez and Matthew Royer. Bottom Middle: Ralphs/Food 4 Less volunteers and attendees. Bottom Right: (From left) Actress Tori Spelling, her husband Dean McDermott, and Beau, Hattie, Finn, Stella and Liam McDermott. Photos: Don Ponturo and Ben Shmikler/ABImages