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.
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