B.W. COOK--The Crowd

It’s about making a difference. It’s about opening doors for young

people--opening doors that young people in this community might not have

dreamed possible as part of their future. It’s about bringing races and

cultures together through education and opportunity. It’s a major

undertaking, to be certain.

More than 300 local patrons in support of youth joined forces recently,

under the banner of the Deacon Jones Foundation, to put on their

black-tie get-up and gorgeous gowns and came together for dinner at the

Hyatt Regency Hotel, Irvine.

It was the inaugural Deacon Jones Foundation Orange County Scholarship

Awards, attended by a bevy of sports stars and community leaders,

educators and philanthropists, plus regular folks and families who

believe that to make a difference, you must stand up and be counted. They

were.

As a result, several young people will have a start for college. Two

local students were named the inaugural scholarship winners: Alexander

Barerra and Phi Luoung, both of Santa Ana. Other finalists were: Wendy

Murillo of Costa Mesa and Francisco Hernandez, Danielle Hoffman and

Anthony Nunez of Santa Ana.

Underwritten by Tiffany and Co. of South Coast Plaza and Gateway

Computers, the program will introduce a seven-year mentorship planned by

the foundation to provide consistent and ongoing guidance, leadership and

nurturing for local youth to inspire them to attain goals and to attend a

university.

Gateway pledged to provide new computers to the finalists.

In the crowd offering support were Peggy Goldwater and Bob Clay, Mike

and Constance Harvey, Bernie and Barbara King, Ken and Sheila Loyd, Dave

and Ellyn Snowden, Mike and Nicole Vishny and Tony and Katrina Wong. Also

in attendance, ex-heavyweight world champion Ken Norton; NFL

Hall-of-Famer Ollie Matson and his wife, Mary; former San Francisco 49er

Bob St. Clair, Purvis Atkins of the former Los Angeles Rams, Oakland

Raider Fred Biletnikoff and his wife, Angela; Marcel Dionne of the Los

Angeles Kings, Olympic star Al Joiner and Dallas Cowboys Hall-of-Famer

Bob Lilly and his wife, Ann.

***

The Newport-Mesa crowd headed south for the third annual “Capistrano

Antiques and Garden Show” held recently in San Juan Capistrano. More than

600 lovers of fine antiques helped to raise in excess of $100,000 on the

event’s opening night for local charities. Recipients included the Susan

G. Komen Breast Cancer Foundation, Boys & Girls Clubs, Canine Companions

for Independence and others.

The event’s co-chairwomen were the dynamic duo Carol Thielen and Cynthia

Harper Miley, who pulled out all stops to ensure a first-class

presentation of dealers and exhibitors.

Major sponsors of the show were Elle Decor Magazine, Mikimoto at South

Coast Plaza, Scalamandre and South Coast Plaza. Mikimoto’s Bill Thomas

was on site with a major jewelry presentation to delight the patrons.

Spotted in the handsome crowd sampling finger food from David Wilhelm’s

Culinary Adventures Catering Co. were Rachel Ashwell, R.J. and Gloria

Brandes, Coleen and Gary Campbell, Karen Hardin, Gavin and Ninetta

Herbert, Joan Irvine Smith, Peter Keller, Sheila Sonenshine, Madeline and

Jim Swinden, and South Coast Plaza’s Turkish Tornado Billur Wallerich.

* B.W. COOK’s column appears every Thursday and Saturday.