A ticket to H.E.L.P.'s fifth annual Celebrate Summer party, will provide a hootin' and hollerin' good time (blue jeans encouraged) - good grub, live and silent auctions, a Western sing-along, exciting raffle prizes, live country music of the Kermit Welch Trio, great company and more. Join the fun at the "H.E.L.P. Hoedown!" starting at 6:00 p.m. on Friday, July 21 at the Torrance Memorial Health Conference Center. Tickets are $125. For reservations and information, contact the H.E.L.P. office at 310-533-1996.

Unique wines, baskets, vacation homes and much more (live and silent auctions) will be available to tempt you. You can get away from it all and spend a week in beautiful West County Clare, Ireland at an Irish cottage overlooking the River Shannon (donated by Lou Atha), or enjoy the "Wine & Romance" package at the Alisol Ranch in Solvang (donated by Jimi Andersen). If you're looking for a unique eating experience and a fabulous tour, join the Torrance Fire Department for dinner (donated by the Torrance Fire Department) or spend a weekend at the beautiful and new Meritage Resort at Napa, nestled in the heart of the Carneros region (donated by Dan Fitzgerald). Enjoy four box seats at the August 12 Tchaikovsky Spectacular at the Hollywood Bowl (donated by Tom and Ruth Shigekuni), learn to decorate the perfect cake from the expert Kirk Rossberg and then take the cake home to enjoy (donated by Torrance Bakery), take a VIP tour of the award-winning Eberle Winery, enjoy a family photography session at CMS Design Portraiture or at Joey Ikemoto Photography, Inc., and much more.

Every dollar raised at the event will go directly to H.E.L.P.'s programs for older adults and families. This is possible because 100% of the event's costs has been generously underwritten by sponsors who include: Exxon Mobil Corporation, Torrance Memorial Medical Center, Bank of America, Mackenroth Land Company, Inc., Toyota Motor Sales, U.S.A., Inc., Alcoa Fastening Systems, AT&T, Bay Cities National Bank, The Boeing Company, BP - Carson, Cronkite & Kissell LLC, The Elliott Group at Smith Barney, Emily Stuhlbarg & Associates, Enright Premier Wealth Advisors, Inc., Fulbright & Jaworski L.L.P., Little Company of Mary Community Health Foundation, Palos Verdes Engineering, Virco Mfg. Corporation, Adia Home Care, Belmont Village of Rancho Palos Verdes, Burkley & Brandlin L.L.P., California Water Service Company, Crane & Retz L.L.P., Green Hills Memorial Park, L.A. Press, and The Printing Press.

"Community support has made it possible for us to set records each year for helping older adults and families, and Celebrate Summer is our most public way to invite that support," said Ed Long, H.E.L.P. executive director. "Our hard-working event committee has created a fun-filled evening. Our generous sponsors have provided the financial base. Now it's our great community that can make this fun evening our most successful fundraising event ever - and help us keep up with the growing demand for our services."

According to Nan Salley, H.E.L.P. board member and event committee chair, "We've been working and planning for months to make this event a unique and fun experience and a fundraising success. Now we need all of you to join us on July 21." Committee members include Claire Atkinson, Mary Cilva, Les Fishman, Liz Fitzgerald, Judy Gibson, Tim Gray, Cathy Hendrickson, Alexis Jensen, Bob Kennedy, Rhea Laughlin, Pat Long, Nan Salley, and Anne Wittels.

H.E.L.P. is an award-winning Torrance, California -based non-profit education and counseling center providing impartial information to older adults and families on elder care, law, finances and more. Since its inception in 1996, it has helped thousands of individuals, couples and families. Its services include public classes, private consultations, publications and telephone and Internet assistance. H.E.L.P. is located at 1404 Cravens Avenue, Torrance, California 90501. The phone number is (310) 533-1996, and the Internet addresses are www.help4srs.org, www.annuitytruth.org and www.better-endings.org.