What a night!
On Tuesday, October 27, our Saguaros and Cactus Club members gathered for an evening that had just one purpose: to say thank you.
CEO Geoff Corbin set the tone right from the start. “Put your checkbooks away,” he told the crowd. “Tonight is a celebration of you.” And that’s exactly what it was — great food, beautiful music, good friends and a lot of gratitude for the people who make the work of the Cathedral City Senior Center possible.
Geoff and Vic shared emcee duties for the evening, trading off as they walked us through a program full of thank-yous, a few surprises and a look at what’s ahead. Here’s a look back.
Thank you to our hosts
First and foremost, a heartfelt thank-you to Laura and Chris Seyfarth for opening their beautiful home to us, and to Karen and Rick Butz for hosting alongside them. These two couples are also the force behind the Community Relief Fund, and they shared a few words about welcoming everyone and what inspired them to start it.
To show our thanks, Geoff presented each of them with a custom Saguaro Food Bank apron — a small nod to the big difference their support makes in our food bank every week.
We also took a moment to honor Brett Burch and Kirk Thompson, the founding hosts of our Saguaro party, who were presented with a commemorative frame. They were the first to open their home to launch our Inaugural Saguaro Party in 2025.
Patrick and George’s legacy
One of the most moving moments of the night came when Geoff recognized Patrick Payne and his extraordinary seven-figure gift honoring George Tyson Shea. That gift includes a match for this year’s Un-Gala and established the Shea/Payne Rapid Relief Fund, which helps our neighbors get help quickly when they need it most. Patrick then shared a few words about the fund and what it means to him.
Everyone also went home with a little something to remember the evening: a commemorative mug and a copy of our brochure highlighting stories of some of the people who benefitted from the funds.
Why Our Upcoming Un-Gala Matters Now
Vic and Geoff talked about the upcoming cuts under H.R. 1 that will change access to benefits for many of our neighbors. We are already seeing the need at our food bank. We distributed 200,000 pounds of food last year and are on track for more than 300,000 pounds this year.
And, because this evening was not a fundraiser, Geoff and Vic invited everyone to our 3rd annual Un-Gala on Saturday, November 14, 2026 at 4:00 pm at CCSC. This will be the fundraiser to help us reduce the harm being caused by HR 1, otherwise known as the One Big Beautiful Bill.
A special thank you to David Mizener and Arturo Carrillo (Contractors State License Schools and Contractors Insurance Agency) who are underwriting the entire Un-Gala so that 100% of funds raised that evening go directly to this work.
Celebrating our people
Then it was time to celebrate the people who make it all happen. With help of Raju Mehta of El Paseo Jewelers, designer of our exclusive Saguaro pin, we pinned our newest Saguaros by name. Our Cactus Club members received their newly designed pins as well.
Vic thanked our incredible staff and volunteers, as well as Sue Townsley for capturing the voices of our donors so beautifully. Our supporters enjoyed posing beside the new Saguaro banners featuring their photos and inspirational quotes. Geoff thanked Willie Rhine for the delicious catering and harpist Steve Hill for the lovely music.
Board Chair Shelley Kaplan then thanked everyone on behalf of the board, introduced the board members in attendance and shared upcoming events, including Love Letters on November 19 at Cathedral City High School. He also introduced our new Chief Development Officer, Nick Rossi who shared his inspiration for getting into nonprofit work. If you didn’t get a chance to meet him, we hope you’ll say hello at the Un-Gala!
Two birthdays in the house!
We couldn’t let the night end without celebrating two very special birthdays with individual cakes and singing. Happy birthday to Sherwyn Turbow and Shelley Kaplan!
Geoff and Vic closed the program with a final toast and an invitation. See you at the Un-Gala on November 14!
Thank you for being there
To everyone who joined us: thank you. Your friendship, your generosity and your belief in what we do are what keep the Center going.
Save the date: Our Un-Gala is Saturday, November 14, at 4 p.m. at the Center. It’s free, with dinner, open bars and entertainment by Yve Evans. Please RSVP by November 6. We can’t wait to see you there!
See your photos!
We captured so many great moments, and we know you’ll want to see them. Find yourself, your friends and all the fun in our photo gallery: