Five Acres Golf Classic and Dinner: Paradise on the Fairway Celebrates 100 Years
I spent Monday at the Five Acres Golf Classic and Dinner, Paradise on the Fairway, at San Gabriel Country Club, and the event had a little bit of everything: golf, dinner on the fairway, auctions, tropical drinks and a live set from Ambrosia.
The bigger reason for the night was Five Acres itself.
Five Acres is a Southern California nonprofit that works with children and families through foster care, adoption, mental health services and family support programs. The organization was established in 1888 and today serves more than 7,000 children and families each year.
This year also marks a major anniversary for Five Acres. Its historic Altadena headquarters opened on July 15, 1926, meaning the organization is celebrating 100 years at the campus.
That made Paradise on the Fairway more than the annual golf fundraiser. It was also a celebration of a century of Five Acres having a home in Altadena.
Paradise Takes Over San Gabriel Country Club
The day started with the golf tournament, with players making their way around San Gabriel Country Club and taking part in contests like the Hole-in-One Challenge and Canon Shot Challenge.
Cocktails and drinks were served throughout the event, so there was plenty happening even if you weren’t keeping score on the golf course.
Once the tournament wrapped up, everyone made their way onto the fairway for an amazing dinner. The open-air setting brought the Paradise on the Fairway theme to life, and as the sun began to set, the whole evening took on an easy, relaxed atmosphere that felt like the perfect way to close out the day.
There were also auctions and plenty of opportunities to donate throughout the evening, with the money helping support Five Acres and its programs for children and families.
The auction had a pretty wide mix of items. There was a Denver Broncos No. 7 John Elway jersey, a signed Woodson game photo, kitchen and cooking baskets, wine collections and plenty more to bid on throughout the night.
The event was chaired by Ryan Trent, who served as Golf Chair, and Chris Selak, who served as Dinner Chair, along with a volunteer committee that helped put the entire day together.
Generations of Impact
One of the most meaningful parts of the evening was a video called “Generations of Impact: Stories of Hope from Five Acres Alumni.”
The video shared stories from former Five Acres residents looking back on the time they spent there as children and how that support shaped the rest of their lives.
It included alumni such as John Quirino, who was at Five Acres from 1922 to 1933, and Anthony Gless, who was there from 1973 to 1977, along with many others representing different generations of Five Acres.
The stories were incredibly touching. Hearing people talk about what they went through as kids, and then hearing them explain how much the care and support they received at Five Acres changed the direction of their lives, honestly made me tear up a little.
It also put the 100-year celebration into perspective.
It’s easy to hear that an organization has been around for 100 years and think mostly about the number. Hearing directly from people who were children at Five Acres and are now older adults made that history feel much more real.
Their stories showed what Five Acres has meant beyond programs, buildings and statistics. For many of them, it was a place that gave them stability, care and support during a difficult time in their childhood.
You could really see the impact Five Acres has had across generations of kids who have passed through its doors.
Ambrosia, Elliot Lurie and Brandy (You’re a Fine Girl)
Grammy-nominated band Ambrosia performed live, featuring original member Joe Puerta. Then Elliot Lurie, founder and lead singer of Looking Glass, joined them to perform “Brandy (You’re a Fine Girl).”
That one got a pretty immediate reaction from the crowd. Hearing such a recognizable song performed live outside on the golf course was a lot of fun. They were amazing!
And the night didn’t end after the program.
A DJ took over afterward, and people stuck around for some nighttime dancing and cocktails. Drinks were served throughout the event, and the DJ gave everyone a reason to hang around a little longer.
Celebrating 100 Years in Altadena
Five Acres has been around since 1888, but its connection to Altadena goes back to the opening of its historic campus in 1926.
Over the years, the organization’s work has expanded to include foster care and adoption services, behavioral and mental health programs, and support for families throughout Southern California.
Five Acres also runs its Wear Your Heart outreach and education initiative, which works with community partners to increase awareness and access to care for children and families.
The Golf Classic and Dinner helps raise money for that work, with guests supporting Five Acres through donations, auctions and their participation in the event.
Paradise on the Fairway was a fun way to celebrate Five Acres’ 100 years in Altadena, but the stories from its alumni were what really brought home what that milestone means. These are real people who can look back decades later and say that the support they received as kids made a difference in where their lives went.
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