Friendship Shelter Speakers Event Series Starts Tonight

Submitted by the Friendship Shelter:

In celebration of our 25th Anniversary, we have asked prominent Orange County people to share their stories of challenge and change.  The result will be a speaker series, “Speaking of…” that launches Thursday, May 2nd, at 7pm at the Port Theatre in Corona del Mar.

The series will have a twist: the talks will be directed as advice for homeless people currently rebuilding their lives in a Friendship Shelter program.  Members of the public are invited to listen in as well-known Orange County leaders share personal stories of struggles they have encountered in their lives.

“We wanted to do something educational, and we wanted to be sure our residents benefited directly from some of our anniversary events,” explains 25th Anniversary Planning Chair Barbara McMurray, “This speaker series connects those two goals in events that are absolutely unique.”

Participating in the May 2nd event, titled “Speaking of Conquering Mountains,” are:  

• Chapman University President Jim Doti, who has scaled six of the highest summits in the world, including, most recently, Mt. Vinson in Antarctica in 2009.  He’ll share his adventures and examine how meeting the physical challenges translates to his personal and professional success. Click here for his "Adventure Resume".
• Santina Davies, longtime Laguna Beach resident whose near-fatal fall from a summit in South Africa in 2007 launched her on a multi-year journey of physical and spiritual rehabilitation.  Davies has never spoken publicly about her accident and rehabilitation.
• Paola Porrini-Bisson, producer of short film “The Night Shift Belongs to the Stars,”. The film follows two heart surgery patients as they fulfill their mutual promise to climb a mountain following their rehabilitation.  It was short-listed for Oscar consideration this year and was an entry in last week’s Tribeca Film Festival. See trailer here.

For complete information or to buy tickets click here or call 949-494-6928 x15.

$40 ticket includes a reception following the event. 

Please print paypal receipt if tickets are purchased the day of.