The Assistance League Coachella Valley held its Razzle Dazzle fundraiser — subtitled “Spring Fling” this year — on March 12 at Agua Caliente Resort & Casino.
And what a fling it was! The event, chaired by Karen Goodyear and with KESQ’s Patrick Evans as guest emcee, served to highlight the impact that ALCV has had in our community over the last 50 years.
“Razzle Dazzle serves so many vital purposes,” said Judy Walker, president of ALCV. “The event provides the organization with one-third of the funds needed to implement programs that support children, seniors and military families in our area.” Razzle Dazzle gives ALCV the opportunity to showcase how the organization touches the lives of nearly 15,000 valley residents each year. And the turnout for this fundraiser continues to grow. “More than 250 guests enjoyed an afternoon filled with shopping and celebration. ALCV wants to thank everyone for coming out and for their ongoing support. Because it really does take a village.”
“Since our planning kickoff in September ’25, a variety of committees have been crafting this fundraiser, working tirelessly to make Spring Fling a big success,” Goodyear said.
Featured at the event were 87 silent auction items, 10 raffle baskets/items and eight live auction items, including trips to Napa Valley, Crystal Lake, Michigan and Costa Rica.
New this year was a luxury items section called “Indulge Yourself” and an accessories boutique featuring new articles that were generously donated. A wine pull, where guests blindly selected a numbered cork that guaranteed them a “mystery” high-value bottle of wine, was also popular and sold out quickly. Judith Pearson, donations chair, enthusiastically coordinated all the moving parts of this marketplace.
Razzle Dazzle brought together ALCV members, their families, friends, sponsors and program partners. For Teri Fox, co-owner of Foxy’s Kitchen + Bar in Rancho Mirage, it was her inaugural ALCV fundraiser. “I enjoyed seeing familiar faces that come to the restaurant and having the opportunity to meet many new people,” she said. “It was wonderful to be in that kind of environment. … ALCV has opened my eyes to the many opportunities we have to offer support. Because in ways big and small, making a difference is well within our grasp.”
Roberta Thompson of Indian Wells also attended Razzle Dazzle for the first time. “The buzz was wonderful, everyone was so animated,” she said. “I really loved how the silent auction worked. Each guest was handed ‘sticky backs’ with their bidder number. This gave us all more time to bid on things of interest. And what a wonderful variety of items, all arranged by category. Guests looking for dining certificates or golfing packages found them with ease. I was amazed at how much thought went into all the details.”
The Razzle Dazzle fundraiser gives ALCV the chance to showcase its programs like Operation School Bell, which provides new school clothes to children in need; the “We Care: Focus on Military Families” baby shower; senior services; and the Frank Moss Scholarships for the Performing Arts.
One of ALCV’s newer programs, The Teddy Bear Project, provides teddy bears at no cost to social service organizations, which distribute them to those in need of comfort. The program benefits children, adults, seniors and military families. ALCV works with recipient agencies like DAP Health, Coachella Valley Rescue Mission and police and fire departments throughout the valley. They hope to deliver more than 1,700 teddy bears this year.
Program chair Delia Masse said: “Those who receive the bears are overjoyed when they’re hugging their new ‘friend.’ And that’s what ALCV hopes will happen. That these teddy bears bring smiles, happiness and comfort … whatever is needed.”
Reflecting on her childhood, Thompson said: “In the 1950s, my mother belonged to the Assistance League in Santa Ana. I was quite young and had no understanding of its mission. But I do recall that part of it was to clothe the less fortunate children in our community so they could go to school wearing something nice and with their heads held high. That really hit close to home for me.
“ALCV helps our community by building up the self-esteem of those who are struggling. And fundraisers like Razzle Dazzle make a big difference, adding goodness and positive change into our lives. So, I’m sure I’ll be attending this event again next year.”
To learn more about Assistance League Coachella Valley, visit assistanceleague.org/coachella-valley.
Sergio Garcia enjoys writing about the good people that do great things in our community. Contact him at sergio071364@aol.com.
This article originally appeared on Palm Springs Desert Sun: Assistance League Coachella Valley holds Razzle Dazzle Spring Fling
Reporting by Sergio Garcia, Special to The Desert Sun / Palm Springs Desert Sun
USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect
