Desert Arc celebrates 65th anniversary at Italian festival, car show in Indian Wells

It was a glorious day on Nov. 18 as Desert Arc celebrated its 65th anniversary with an Italian Festival & Car Show hosted by Southwest Church in Indian Wells. Mario Del Guidice, owner of Mario’s Italian Cafés, who has championed Desert Arc’s mission for more than 40 years, generously underwrote the food for the event, with 100% of proceeds donated to Desert Arc.

“I do whatever I can always to help Desert Arc because the programs and services they provide for people with disabilities is awe inspiring,” Del Guidice said.

There was something for everyone in attendance, including an elegant car show presented by the Palm Springs Corvette Club, the Scorpions Car Club and the Palm Springs Cruisin’ Association. Festivities kicked off with Xavier College Preparatory High School’s dance team performing three precision dance routines.

“Our goal as a dance team, and one of the things I try to teach my dancers is how important it is to give back to the community by participating in these events,” said Reggie Rover, head coach of Xavier’s dance team. “And when Mario asks us to participate, we always say yes.”

High Hopes Dance Troupe took to the stage next, composed of young people and adults with intellectual and developmental disabilities. These dancers were truly inspirational, strutting their stuff to overwhelming applause. High Hopes has been performing for 11 years in the Coachella Valley for the Autism Society, Old Town Artisan Studios’ Gingerbread Lane and United Cerebral Palsy.

“These dancers delight audiences with their heartwarming performances and bring people to their feet and smiles to their faces,” said Renee Griffin, the dance troupe's managing director.

The entertainment continued as Jimmy Bentley performed his fun magic show, followed by the highly talented Lion’s Pride Chamber Singers from Cathedral City High School. As the official choir of Cathedral City, this group has performed at Carnegie Hall in New York and at McCallum Theatre’s Open Call. La Quinta High School’s Movement Dance Team was next on stage, performing their superb dance routines, and guests were captivated by the beautiful voice of Gia singing memorable tunes.

“This event was a resounding and all-encompassing success in celebration of the launch of our 65th Anniversary year,” said Richard Balocco, president and CEO of Desert Arc. “Mario Del Guidice is a great friend of our nonprofit organization. He single-handedly engaged a tremendous collaborative of new community partners for Desert Arc, including Southwest Church, three premier car clubs, entertainers from local high schools, a professional magician, a snow cone vendor, among many others, who generously donated their support for this special event. One hundred percent of the proceeds from the Italian menu offerings contributed by Mario’s Italian Cafés, along with the car show registration fees and donations received from the attendees, raised $15,000 for Desert Arc.”

To learn more about Desert Arc, call (760) 346-1611 or visit desertarc.org.

Madeline Zuckerman is owner of M. Zuckerman Marketing & Public Relations, Inc., a strategic marketing, branding, public relations and special events firm with offices in Rancho Mirage and Newport Beach, Calif. She is a founder of McCallum Theatre, a board member of the One Valley Foundation, the official nonprofit of the Coachella Valley Firebirds and has been a guest reporter with The Desert Sun for the past 15 years.

This article originally appeared on Palm Springs Desert Sun: Desert Arc celebrates anniversary at Italian festival in Indian Wells