Tuesday, November 10, 1998
Cafe celebrates year of service
ANNIVERSARY: Westwood eatery works to aid Children’s
Hospital
By Kathryn Combs
Daily Bruin Senior Staff
Today, Maui Beach Cafe, in Westwood, will celebrate its one-year
anniversary with a dinner party – the proceeds of which will
benefit the UCLA Children’s Hospital.
But Jeff Knight, founder and CEO of Maui Beach Cafe, said he’s
"not really into celebrating (his) own success."
"It’s been a tough year," Knight said.
"When you are … trying to redefine the relationship between
the community and a retail organization, such as ourselves, it’s
extremely difficult to do it on your own," he added.
Since Maui Beach opened one year ago, it has been dedicated to
helping the UCLA Children’s Hospital by holding various events to
raise money and cheer up patients there. This commitment grows
partly out of Knight’s personal experience.
When Knight’s son was 1 year old, he nearly drowned. Ensuing
months brought endless nights in the hospital. Knight and his wife
even held a vigil by their son’s bedside.
What Knight wishes to provide through giving to the Children’s
Hospital is comfort to both parent and child.
"We went through the worst that a parent could possibly go
through," Knight recalls.
"Having gone through that to the extent that my wife and I did,"
Knight said, "I just kind of look upon children as being so
innocent."
Knight’s son survived the ordeal, and when the Maui Beach Cafe
opened last year, a partnership was forged between the restaurant
and the hospital.
"When you spend time with these children and see how innocent
they are, how could you not put more time and energy into it?"
Knight said.
"(Besides,) I find children to be far more interesting than
adults. Therefore, it is easier for me devote time and resources,"
he added.
According to Knight, he looks at his philanthropy from a
patient’s point of view.
"I saw the simple aspect of what would make a patient happy," he
said, adding that doctors are often too busy worrying about a
patient’s prognosis to give comfort. "I want (the children) to know
when I walk in those doors that I have not forgotten about
them."
Edward McCabe, executive chair of the UCLA Children’s Hospital,
said the cafe’s contributions do not go unnoticed.
"I know the children love it," McCabe said, referring to a
number of cafe-sponsored "smoothie parties" thrown in different
wards of the hospital.
"It was fairly clear early in their arrival that they wanted to
work with us (and) they had done some other philanthropic work," he
added, noting the cafe’s past work with the Children’s Hospital in
San Diego.
Maria Orefice, director of development with UCLA Children’s
Hospital, said any and all contributions are greatly
appreciated.
"Any kind of fund-raising is positive," she said. "We … are no
longer a state-supported institution, so we look to friends in the
community, like Maui Beach, and their help to support the (UCLA
Children’s Hospital)."
Knight also sees this as a role in shaping and guiding the
direction of Westwood.
"From a very selfish viewpoint, I have had a chance to really
become a community activist," he said.
He seeks to further build the community around the notion of
philanthropy by helping other merchants to build similar
relationships with UCLA.
"I feel good about the idea that I have had an influence in the
direction Westwood is going," he said.
"If you search around, you find Westwood is abundant with
opportunities and very shallow with people supporting it," he
added.
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