A Totally Tubular Time

It wasn’t quite Dr. Who and there was not a Tardis to be seen, but the Storyteller Children’s Center celebrated its 35th anniversary with a Totally Awesome ‘80s Gala in the Hilton Rotunda, with the 270 suitably garbed guests raising $327,000 for the therapeutic preschool that provides high-quality early childhood education for youngsters facing adverse challenges.

The time-traveling boffo bash, co-chaired by Cate Stoll and Kelly Finefrock, also honored Tiffany Foster for 20 years of commitment and support having served as board president, chairing numerous galas, and now serving as advisory board chair.

She was introduced by Jon Clark of the James S. Bower Foundation.

The charity started as a roped-off section of the Transition House parking lot with children engaged in games, art projects, and jump rope.

Storyteller, which now serves 100 children aged birth to five, now has three campuses, including classrooms added this year at Transition House, where it all began.

Executive Director Dr. Gabriella Garcia underscored the critical role of the organization in our Eden by the Beach.

Ubiquitous Andrew Firestone emceed the energized Party Like it’s 1988! and auctioned off a Vail, Colorado, getaway, for $8,000; a Rincon Beach staycation for $9,000; and a painting by local artist Pedro de la Cruz for $10,000.

A last-minute addition to the auction list was actor Joshua Morrow, 49, who has appeared on the CBS soap opera The Young and the Restless for 30 years, who offered lunch at Rick Caruso’s The Grove in Los Angeles with the cast, which sold for $7,500.

Among those enjoying the cardboard break dancing, the Max Headroom videos, the seven-piece L.A. band The Replicas, and even decades old Burger King commercials offering 35 cent whoppers, were Robyn Parker, Scott and Ashley Adelson, Lucy Firestone, Fritz and Jennie Burkart, George and Laurie Leis, Mark and Alixe Mattingly, John and Carrie Towbes, Robert and Robin Fell, Juli Askew, Erinn Lynch, Catherine Reitman and Phillip Sternberg, David Pires, Cynder Sinclair and Dennis Forster, Kenny and Elizabeth Slaught, and Steve and Amber Ortiz.

Clearly an event that showed supporters get up and go had not got up and gone!