A sell out crowd of 500 guests attended the J.F. Shea Therapeutic Riding Center annual black-tie gala on Sat., June 16 at the Montage Resort & Spa in Laguna Beach. Popular performers and former members of the 5th Dimension, Marilyn McCoo and Billy Davis Jr., performed a spectacular concert with hits such as Up, Up and Away and Age of Aquarius.
JSerra High School, Steph and Tim Busch and Penny and Jon Fosheim were honored with the 2007 Michael Lewis Friends of the Disabled Award, which is named after the Center’s first rider. The awards program was established in 2005 to honor individuals who’ve significantly contributed to the disabled community.

(left to right): Tim and Steph Busch (honorees), Debbie Martin (co-chair), Greg Mattes (pirate), Robin Voet (co-chair), and Jon and Penny Fosheim (honorees).

The Fosheim’s became supporters of the Shea Center in 1987. Jon has chaired the board, served as a board member and worked on major fundraising efforts while Penny has been active on the Gala committee, hosted instructor trainees and other functions in her home and participated in Shea activities through NCL (National Charity League). Tim and Steph Busch came to the Shea Center through friends Tom and Monica Parr and are long time advocates of private Christian education, co-founding St. Anne School in Laguna Niguel and JSerra Catholic High School in San Juan Capistrano. They have supported the Shea Center’s fundraising events, capital development project and helped to develop their youth volunteerism program.
Event co-chairs Robin Voet and Debbie Martin were thrilled with the event’s fundraising outcome. They explained that the “Treasures of the Heart” theme tied both into the giving hearts of Shea Center volunteers as well as to the history of the Montage Hotel site, which is believed to be a location where pirates once buried treasures.
Over 75 spectacular silent and super silent auction items were featured during the event’s cocktail reception on the Pacific View Lawn with a breathtaking view of the ocean. Guests were then escorted into an elaborate ball room for a moving presentation about therapeutic riding given by a Shea Center parent, followed by a gourmet dinner, live auction and musical entertainment. The event décor in the ballroom was extravagant with rich jewel tone colors, candelabras and treasure chests.
Fund-a-Dream, officially renamed the Fosheim Fund that evening, brought in $145,750 to offset ongoing costs of rider fees at the Shea Center. The top live auction item was a Napa Valley weekend for eight that brought in $45,000. The trip included private jet transportation, accommodations in a four-bedroom suite at the Meritage Resort in Napa, chauffeured wine touring and all meals including dinner for eight at the world-famous restaurant, The French Laundry. Luxurious trips to Catalina and Costa Rica raised $12,000 and $14,000 respectively, an adorable Shitzu puppy fetched $5,500 and three separate tables for the 2008 Gala raised $25,000 each.
Event proceeds benefit the J.F. Shea Therapeutic Riding Center dedicated to improving the lives of people with disabilities through therapeutic horse-related programs.
Founded by social worker Fran Joswick in 1978, the Shea Center currently serves 239 clients each week with 40 varying disabilities and utilizes 200 weekly volunteers
For more information about the Shea Center, call 949-240-8441 or visit www.sheacenter.org.