3-09-09 Kent co-hosts and auctioneers Anaheim Ducks Wives Fashion Show.

The Ducks raised more than $98,000 today at the 2009 Lady Ducks Fashion Luncheon, held in the Jack Daniel’s Old No. 7 Club at Honda Center. All proceeds from the event will benefit Children’s Hospital of Orange County (CHOC). The luncheon was attended by approximately 225 guests, including players, coaches and the club’s executive management team.The “beach chic”-themed luncheon was emceed by CBS 2’s Laura Diaz, a 10-time Emmy award-winning journalist in the Los Angeles market. Ducks TV personality Kent French co-hosted with Diaz while also serving as the live auctioneer. Eight Ducks players (Teemu Selanne, Ryan Getzlaf, J.S. Giguere, Scott and Rob Niedermayer, Chris Pronger, Bobby Ryan and George Parros) and four Lady Ducks modeled collections from Gary’s in the fashion show. The Newport Beach-based retailer provided fashions for the men and women from Italian designers such as Isaia, Zegna and Gimo’s as well as from yachting label Paul and Shark, Etro and many more. Eight current or former patients from CHOC Children’s also joined members of the Ducks family on the catwalk, showcasing the latest fashions from Quiksilver and Roxy. Ducks players who were not featured in the presentation were outfitted in Chip and Pepper jeans for the luncheon.“We are thrilled with the success this year, as the event is truly a team effort involving the Ducks players, coaches, wives and management,” said Event Chair Caroline Marchant, wife of Ducks center Todd Marchant. “We are grateful for the generosity of our sponsors and donors who have joined us to support CHOC Children’s.”Guests dined on a light lunch fare including Chicken Nicoise, catered by Crème de la Crème. The afternoon’s signature beverage was appropriately titled the “Lady Duck-Tini,” with vodka donated by Blue Ice Vodka. Guests also sipped on Sonoma Cutrer-Russian River Ranches Chardonnay and Jekel Pinot Noir provided by Brown-Forman, one of the largest American-owned companies in the wine and spirits business. Wine Warehouse also provided a sparkling Zonin Prosecco for the occasion.Tables for the event were priced starting at $2,500 based on level of sponsorship package purchased. Guests also helped raise funds for CHOC Children’s by bidding on a variety of exciting live and silent auctions. Highlighted live auction items included a hand-painted canvas containing a Ducks logo that was created by CHOC patients, children of Ducks players and artist Tiffany Strassman. The artwork will hang in the soon-to-be-opened Ducks Wing at CHOC Children’s Orange campus with a custom plaque recognizing the winning bidders. Supporters also bid on two different intimate evenings with Ducks players and their wives. One winning bidder will join the Marchants and Gigueres at Nick’s Laguna Beach restaurant. In addition, a sunset harbor cruise with the Prongers and Selannes aboard a Newport Beach-based boat, sold for $4,000. A six-night Canadian Rockies vacation was also up for bid. In addition, “Surprise Puck” boxes were also available for purchase (one for $25 or five for $100). Each box contained an autographed puck from a Ducks player and six random boxes of the 400 for sale contained lucky prizes, including gift certificates to Fashion Island, South Coast Plaza and a heart pendant designed by Natalie K. Pave valued at nearly $3,200.