B.W. COOK -- The Crowd

More than 350 guests helped raise more than $40,000 for Childhelp USA

at Ferragosto, a celebration of midsummer held at Fashion Island. The

Italian-themed evening under the stars was hosted by Stefano Albano of

Ristorante Tutto Mare, Fashion Island.

Albano outdid himself for the eighth annual festival. The food was

superb, the entertainment charming, and the mix of people in the crowd

added to the success of the evening. Co-chaired by Childhelp volunteers

Christine Bren and Jana Shuler, the evening honored Mary Ellen and Anwar

Soliman for their dedication to the Childhelp cause.

Patti and Jim Edwards were on hand with their support, along with

Carol Packard, Pam Arnett, Leah Caroll, Pam Butler, Eileen Saul, Susan

Whitlock, Cleo Bluth, Tami Smith, Lindah Miles, Dale San Filippo, Cathy

Brouthers, Nancy Cardin, Katherine Meredith and Kim Doud.

Fashion Island was also the setting for the recent Junior League of

Orange County event staged at the elegant Mayors Jewelers store.

The reception honored 45 years of community service by Junior League

members in the Newport-Mesa area and the 100-year anniversary of the

association of Junior Leagues International.

The in-store hors d’oeuvres and dessert reception attracted hundreds

of dedicated Junior League supporters, enjoying Mayors’ hospitality with

general manager Nicholas Fenin greeting the arriving crush. The Daily

Grill at Fashion Island catered the affair.

An event at Edwards Big Newport completes our triad of recent events

held on the Newport coastal shopping terra firma.

Hoag Hospital and its very dedicated 552 Club hosted the annual Hoag

552 Movie Premiere event last week, selling out the large screen for a

showing of the new Nicolas Cage and Penelope Cruz film, “Captain

Corelli’s Mandolin.”

The World War II-era film was the backdrop for local support of Hoag

Hospital. The evening began with a light dinner served by generous local

restaurants on the grounds of the cinema complex. At 7 p.m., the crowd

was invited into the grand theater for a live auction that raised

significant funds for the new Hoag Women’s Pavilion.

The fund-raising campaign for the pavilion is being championed by

three very prominent local women -- Sandy Sewell, Arden Flamson and Ginny

Ueberroth. Edwards Cinemas joined forces with Universal Pictures and the

Hoag 552 Club to produce the successful evening.

* THE CROWD appears Thursdays and Saturdays.