Maple Counseling Center's 'Disco Ball' Gets Donors on the Dance Floor [Photos, Video]

The Maple Counseling Center held its 40th anniversary celebration Wednesday evening with a "Disco Ball" fundraiser at the Beverly Hilton.

Since 1972, the nonprofit center has helped tens of thousands of people of all ages receive affordable mental health care. Among those whom TMCC serves, 25 percent are unemployed, disabled or retired, and 65 percent earn less than $20,000 a year.

"My mother-in-law Sooky Goldman founded [TMCC] with a few other people, including Rabbi [Jacob] Pressman and other community leaders, 40 years ago because there was a drug problem among our kids and nobody really wanted to face up to it," TMCC board member and Disco Ball Co-Chair Myra Lurie said. "But they did succeed in getting this center started, and since then it's had 40 wonderful years of providing very affordable psychotherapy to people from Beverly Hills and outside Beverly Hills."

At this year's annual charity event, which raised donations to help keep TMCC's services available and affordable, attendees donned their finest '70s disco gear and boogied on a lit, multi-colored dance floor.

"Tonight is a celebration of people who care about others in their community," TMCC board member Michael Lushing said.

A Beverly Hills native who attended El Rodeo and Beverly Hills High School, Lushing said he got involved with TMCC because "I've always known of the work that they've done...and I just had this compunction to say, 'It's time.'"

Honorees at the event included TMCC board members of the BHHS class of '74: Mason Sommers, Gail Millan, Jeff Lapin, Deborah Kallick and John Jameson. The winner of this year's Community Excellence award was chef Giacomino Drago and the Drago family. A silent and live auction also took place.

To find out more about The Maple Counseling Center or to make a donation, please click here. 

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