Pleasanton, CA – October 10, 2016 – El Camino Hospital Foundation held the 21st annual El Camino Heritage Golf Tournament at the Club at Ruby Hill in Pleasanton on October 10, 2016. The event raised $177,000 for the Scrivner Challenge to endow ASPIRE, El Camino Hospital’s adolescent mental health program. One hundred five golfers played 18 holes under sunny skies while a dozen non-golfers tasted wine and artisanal cheeses at nearby Wente Vineyards. Everyone joined together at the end of the day for a reception, celebration dinner and live auction.
During the evening program, the father of a middle-school age ASPIRE graduate described his 12 ½ year old son’s downward spiral into anxiety disorder and delusions. Although the family accessed psychiatric care in the community, they had difficulty finding a provider expert in working with “tweenage” children. They struggled with school refusal and other out-of-control behaviors, which led them to seriously consider institutionalization. Fortunately, they found ASPIRE first, which enabled the child to stay at home and stay in school while being treated in an outpatient setting at El Camino Hospital. The experience, the child reports, “saved his life.” “We now have hope for the future,” his dad told the audience.
Charitable gifts over the past two years have enabled El Camino Hospital to launch new ASPIRE programs tailored for middle school and post high school transition age youth and develop an intensive prep program that readies youngsters with more severe symptoms for the standard curriculum. These additions allow the hospital to serve more adolescents, ages 11-25, who need extra support during this critical developmental stage. Los Altos Hills residents Mary and Doug Scrivner, who in April 2015 committed to match up to $1 million to secure ASPIRE’s future, introduced the fund-in-need appeal. To date, including golf tournament proceeds, the Foundation has received $823,713 toward their challenge, which will expire on June 30, 2017.