The Crowd -- B.W. Cook

The Newport Beach Marriott Hotel and Tennis Club was the setting for

an Assistance League of Newport-Mesa luncheon featuring television

legend Huell Howser, who shared with the 400 or so women the history and

lore of California.

The homespun guest speaker has made a name for himself producing and

hosting television shows on public broadcasting systems in California, as

well as in the national arena.

His personal style charmed the Newport-Mesa ladies representing the

Las Reinas and Virginia Castle auxiliaries of the Assistance League.

Event spokeswoman Corinne Black commented, “Huell was just fabulous, we

adored him. It was one of our best luncheon events ever.”

Howser actually came to the league through the efforts of Julie Nixon

Eisenhower. The former first daughter is both a friend of the Assistance

League of Newport-Mesa and of Howser. The league had scheduled another

celebrity guest speaker for its event, and, because of a scheduling

conflict, needed to find a suitable replacement.

Nixon Eisenhower graced the stage last year for the Assistance League

and was received by the community with open arms. She recently finished a

television interview with Howser on the history of her family, focusing

in particular on the Richard Nixon birthplace in Yorba Linda.

The special has been running on PBS this month, and is well worth

viewing if you haven’t already seen it. In any event, through Nixon

Eisenhower, the ladies of the Assistance League met Howser and also

managed to make luncheon proceeds of $60,000 to support the league’s

community programs, which include the Children’s Dental Health Care

Center in Costa Mesa, Operation School Bell, providing school clothing

and backpacks to children of low-income families referred by the

Newport-Mesa Unified School District, and Kids on the Block, a program

that teaches tolerance of classmates who have learning disabilities,

physical handicaps or other special needs.

The afternoon was chaired by Jocelyn Gilbert and Lauren May, with

special assistance provided by Carolyn Floyd, Cathryn Friis, Cristina

Lucey and Betty Wainscott.

Ann Marie Alford is the chapter president of the Newport-Mesa League,

with Mary Lynn Bergman-Rallis and Bev Ferris serving as co-chairwoman of

the Virginia Castle Auxiliary. Representing the Las Reinis Auxiliary was

chairwoman June Foley. Others deserving recognition include Sharon

Borlet, Melanie Hembree, Doris Hope, Carolyn Jerger, Joanne Johnston,

Marie-France Lefebvre, Cris Morgan, Carol Tether, Nancy Viands, Penny

Weise, Rae Bolton and Cherly Butterworth.

Enjoying a lunch that began with an arugula salad featuring fresh

melon, goat cheese, toasted hazelnuts and warm figs wrapped in bacon,

followed by a breast of chicken with sun-dried tomatoes, vegetables and

garlic mashed potatoes, were friends of the Assistance League sharing

their own memories of California life, in days gone by. In the crowd were

underwriters including Jean Lucas, Martha Crowner, Eileen Du Bois, Joyce

Tanton, Barbara Roberts, Donna Crean, Jackie Harper and many more. A

fabulous silent and live auction helped to make the afternoon a smashing

success for the league.

* THE CROWD appears Thursdays and Saturdays.