Rocking out for a cure

Charlie and Brandi Hawkins will host their fifth annual Charitable Holiday Party to benefit Music for a Cure from 7:30 p.m. to midnight Saturday at their Laguna Beach home, 705 Temple Hills Drive.

The event will feature cocktails and hors d’oeuvres, a raffle and live auction, and a live performance by rock band Sugar Ray, composed of vocalists and guitarists Mark McGrath and Rodney Sheppard, bassist Murphy Karges, drummer Stan Frazier and Craig “DJ Homicide” Bullock on turntables.

All of the evening’s proceeds will be donated to Music for a Cure, a nonprofit that funds the music therapy program at the Children’s Hospital of Orange County.

“My wife and I learned about the program through its founders, Murphy and Julie Karges, who said they started the charity in honor of a terminally ill child named Ryan Bates, who dreamed of meeting Sugar Ray before he died,” Charlie Hawkins said. “We were touched by how passionate they were about helping other critically ill children, and welcomed the idea of putting on a fun party for a great cause.”

Hors d’oeuvres will be passed around and an open bar of mixed cocktails, champagne, wine and beer, donated by Martin Ray and Angeline Wineries, will be open from 7:30 to 9:30 p.m.

The Hawkinses will welcome guests with a speech shortly after, and host a raffle and live auction at 9:35 p.m. that will feature a vacation for four to Las Vegas on a private jet.

Sugar Ray will perform from 9:45 p.m. to midnight, when the event concludes.

“With a multi-platinum recording artist playing in a private home, we felt an additional band would be anti-climatic,” Charlie Hawkins said.

Founded by the Kargeses and other members of Sugar Ray in 2002, Music for a Cure’s mission is to bring the healing power of music to critically ill children just like Ryan by providing them with quality musical instruments, supporting music therapy programs at local children’s hospitals, Julie Karges said.

In combination with a generous gift from Gwen Stefani, the endowment will provide CHOC with music therapy, which according to caretakers, has proven to have a profound and positive impact on patients, promoting wellness, managing stress and anxiety, and alleviating pain and discomfort.

Tickets are $125 per person and are available at www.musicforacure.org.