The Crowd

B.W. Cook

“If my father was suffering with any other disease, I want you to know

that he would be here tonight,” shared Maureen Reagan, eldest child of

former President Ronald Reagan.

The former first daughter and her husband, Dennis Revell, traveled to

Newport Beach from their home in Sacramento to participate in the Orange

County Alzheimer’s Assn. benefit at the Four Seasons Hotel, Newport

Beach.

The dinner/fund-raiser took place last Saturday, on the eve of Ronald

Reagan’s 89th birthday. The chilling connection was not lost on the crowd

of more than 500 guests in black tie who had come to work for a cure,

raising more than $100,000 from the silent and live auction and dinner

proceeds.

Maureen Reagan addressed the ballroom with warmth and confidence, sharing

her role in the fight against Alzheimer’s. As a member of the national

board of the Alzheimer’s Assn., she travels the country raising funds and

awareness.

“It’s my job to spread the word. We can give people their lives back when

we find the cure. In the meantime, we can stop the scourge. We can

deliver new hope,” said Reagan, accepting the accolades from men and

women in this community who heard her message loud and clear.

Lori Warmington, honorary co-chair of the evening, shared her own

personal relationship with Alzheimer’s. Introducing Reagan, Warmington

told the crowd that her mother is in the final stages of the disease.

“My mother was the first head cheerleader at UCLA and had a long and

rewarding career as a teacher. It’s odd to think that my mother, the

former cheerleader, shares this tragic bond with the former president of

the United States through Alzheimer’s.”

Reagan put her arms around Warmington as if to say that they did indeed

share a bond.

Warmington concluded, stating: “All life is connected. Love never dies.”

The events of the evening, including the Reagan address, were punctuated

by the images of Alzheimer’s victims projected on two massive screens

stationed at either end of The Four Seasons ballroom. The mothers,

fathers, siblings and friends of guests in attendance and committee

members of the association beamed at the gathering through photos taken

in earlier times.

Among the film tributes was the recently departed mother of Julie David,

event co-chair, and the mother of Alzheimer’s activist Cathy Torre

Houghton, alive and suffering at 88 years of age.

Houghton looked up at the screen to see the snapshot of her mother taken

at around age 20 just as Reagan shared with the crowd news of her

father’s condition and his 89th birthday celebration.

Then a passport photo appeared of young Houghton and her brother with

their mother in the late 1940s. Memories rushed back as the Alzheimer’s

supporter and caregiver recalled her trip to Europe as a child.

“They used to put the children and their mother together on the passport

photo,” Houghton said.

The success of the evening can be attributed to the bond shared by all in

attendance. Every person in the ballroom was touched by Alzheimer’s. Some

live with the disease, facing it daily. Many more are caretakers of loved

ones who are suffering. And all want to find a cure.

The room buzzed with conversation over recent media reports concerning a

Los Angeles man who underwent experimental surgery that reversed the

effects of his Alzheimer’s. Words of doubt and fear mixed with words of

urgent optimism over the procedure. What is certain is that awareness of

the disease and its widespread destruction of lives is now very much in

the public spotlight, thanks in no small way to Ronald Reagan and his

family.

The Alzheimer’s Assn. called the event, appropriately, “An Evening of

Memories.” Honorary accolades were bestowed upon Peter Villegas and Lori

Warmington. Alzheimer’s Assn. Chairman Donald Power also paid tribute to

community members Carl Cottman, Jeffrey Cummings, Peggy Goldwate Clay and

The Hutton Foundation, represented by Arlene Craig, and Supervisor Tom

Wilson. A heartfelt service award was given to Alzheimer’s Assn. leader

Linda Scheck.

There wasn’t a dry eye in the house as all rose to their feet with

applause for Scheck and the honorees.

Local television personality Ed Arnold handled the master of ceremonies

duties with style. A successful auction of art created by Alzheimer’s

patients was a moving testament to the support offered by the

Newport-Mesa community.

In the crowd were Betty Belden-Palmer, Diane Mondini, Jan Landstrom,

Gloria Lopez, Ann and Marv Abrams, Nancy and Rob Chandler, Sherrif Mike

Carona and his wife, Jacqueline DuPont, Jennifer and Mike Gottlieb, Ellen

and Steve Milner, Tina Nadeau, Sandra and Alex Rados, Joan and Mitch

Samuelson, and Kim and John White.

Underwriting support for the evening came from Hoag Hospital, ARV

Assisted Living, Marie Callender’s and NeoTherapeutics, to name only a

few.

Additional committee members deserving kudos were Virginia Atherton,

Susan Berger-Abrams, Christine Brown, Erika Coniglio, Tammy Crandell,

Karla Hammond, Stephen Lopez and Barbara Sted.

A wonderful Four Seasons dinner and music provided by the best big band

orchestra in town, The Yachtsmen, made for a very special evening of

memories. B.W. COOK’S column appears every Thursday and Saturday.