Shot taken at the Lysakov Gallery in Pacific Grove - 65° Magazine

Apparel and Luxury Racing
Machines are No Child’s Play
BY ANDREA STUART
IMAGES FROM KHAKI’S OF CARMEL
Khaki’s of Carmel is dressing for success as it
prepares for its 10th Annual Ferrari Event to be
held on August 16th.
What began as a modest endeavor to give back to
the community in which they live, Connie and Jim
Ockert, Luxury Merchants and Owners of Khaki’s
of Carmel, have watched their Khaki’s Ferrari
Event mature from a fledgling affair into an event
that rivals the sophistication and popularity of the
Concours D’ Elegance — taking place the same
week as the Concours each year as well.
Brimming with exotic Italian automobiles, from
Lamborghinis and Maseratis to Ferraris, the
event offers fantastic eye candy, thirst-quenching
libations from award-winning Monterey County
wineries, savory food from local restaurants, and
live entertainment to boot.
The Ockerts’ goal when creating the Ferrari event
was to produce a non-commercialized local event
that would invite people from around the country
to revel in the fine elegance of Italian cars while
contributing to a noble cause.
The Ockerts financially sponsor the entire event
themselves, donating all of the proceeds to their
beneficiaries, The Juvenile Diabetes Research
Association and the Carmel Valley youth Center.
Jim makes it very clear that they do so simply for
the love the community.
“We decided on Juvenile Diabetes because it’s a
disease that is hard to understand. It strikes such
young people and it’s very difficult to manage.
We wanted to give back, and we wanted to do it
right and because of Connie, the engine behind
every organized detail of this event, we can and
we are,” Jim said.
When one looks at the staggering statistics that
follow this brutal disease, it’s not only easy to
understand why Khaki’s chose Juvenile Diabetes
Research Association for their primary beneficiary
but it becomes obvious just how important this
annual event really is.
The Department of Health and Human Services
states that diabetes was the sixth leading cause
of death listed on U.S. death certificates in 2002.
If only this were but a mere factoid. Unfortunately,
juvenile diabetes, also known as type 1 diabetes,
strikes children and young adults and occurs as an
organ-specific autoimmune disease.
This means that the body’s immune system attacks
and destroys cells in the pancreas that are needed
for producing insulin. The body’s inability to
produce insulin then results in too much glucose
remaining in the blood, which is life threatening for
the youngsters who are diagnosed with it.
yet, Khaki’s’ responsibility to help to improve quality
of life extends beyond the medical world. Following
suit with their commitment to children, Khaki’s’
other beneficiary this year is the Carmel Valley youth
Center, where they believe in the adage that it takes
a village to raise a child. With activities ranging
from swimming to family dinners, the Carmel Valley
youth Center offers a positive environment for social
growth and healthy extracurriculars.
Guests who attend the Khaki’s Ferrari fundraiser
are not only lovers of stylish Italian automobiles;
they are philanthropists contributing to greater
causes. And while the Ockerts prepare for
another whirlwind event, they welcome everyone
with open arms. °