B.W. COOK -- The Crowd

Newport Beach’s Rob and Carrie Young joined their mother, Rita Gunkel,

also of Westcliff Dover Shores, to support Taller San Jose, an

organization devoted to transforming the lives of Orange County youth.

Some 500 guests, many of whom are members of the Newport-Mesa

community, joined co-chairs Jannette Ingardia and Rita Deiss to raise an

astounding $277,000 from an evening under the stars at the old mission at

San Juan Capistrano. Taller San Jose is a Catholic charity created by

Sisters of St. Joseph, under the leadership of Sister Eileen McNerney,

with the goal of turning obstacles in life into advantages.

The group trains young people from some of the rougher neighborhoods

in Orange County, including south Santa Ana and west Costa Mesa,

providing job skills, education, cultural enrichment, financial strategy,

health care and more.

This fifth annual dinner and auction fund-raiser was billed as “Light

Up a Life.” It certainly did for Linda and Randy Jackson of Newport

Beach, who won the evening raffle of a British Airways-sponsored trip to

London that includes a stay at a five-star hotel. Newport Beach’s

Northern Trust Bank helped to underwrite the dinner.

In the crowd were Bishop Norman McFarland, Msgr. Lawrence Baird of

Balboa Island, California state Sen. Joseph Dunn (D-Santa Ana), Edward

Hernandez, Rod and Nancy Daley, and Janet and Bernie Schneider of Emerald

Bay.

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The Big Canyon/Spyglass Hill Philharmonic Society is planning for its

annual event Tuesday at the Palm Garden of the Four Seasons in Newport

Beach. The annual luncheon raises a significant amount of money to

provide orchestral music in public schools throughout the year.

Chaired by Darby Manclark, the luncheon will feature international

entertainer Ben Vereen, who recently starred in the New York musical

production of “Fosse.” Manclark and co-workers expect a sellout crowd

attracted with the help of dedicated volunteers, including Philharmonic

Society President Sharon Moore, Joyce Reaume, Joyce Dieda, Patricia Lane,

Kim Grubman, Barbara Taylor and many others.

* THE CROWD appears Thursdays and Saturdays.