Helping those at Heritage Pointe

Big Canyon Country Club in Newport Beach will welcome patrons

attending brunch Sunday in support of Heritage Pointe, a Jewish

residential retirement facility. The occasion honors donors among a

generous contingent of local citizens who have helped to raise an

estimated $800,000 this year to subsidize Heritage Pointe residents

with either limited or no financial resources.

The Big Canyon brunch proceeds the facility’s 14th annual

fund-raising gala, “A Celebration of Lights,” set for Nov. 17. The

party coincides with the celebration of the Jewish holiday Hanukah,

and takes it’s theme from the historic lighting of the candles on the

Menorah.

Fred and Aviva Forster will be honored as this year’s

distinguished couple. The Forsters, Corona del Mar residents, will

join other dedicated Heritage Pointe supporters including Phyllis and

Barry Rodgers, Lorraine and Tom Hennessey, and Valerie Sloane in

creating a very special evening filled with surprises. The Nov. 17

dinner at the Hyatt will feature the band “Rodeo Drive”.

For reservations, call Pamela Beunk at (949) 364-9685.

Launching into Christmas Company

The Junior League of Orange County is very busy preparing for

Christmas Company 2002. A launch party in connection with the linen

company Strouds officially kicked off the holiday season last week,

as Christmas Company benefactors were invited to an after-hours wine

and cheese gathering at Strouds’ Laguna Niguel store.

In addition to cocktail conversation and Christmas chatter,

Strouds presented a seminar titled “Are Your Ready For Bed?” That was

a seminar nobody wanted to miss.

The store generously offered a 20% discount to all Junior League

members shopping at the launch party. This year, the linen boutique

will be a platinum sponsor of the massive Christmas Company event,

which will once again be held at the Orange County Fairgrounds.

The show and sale is the largest and most important fund-raiser

for The Junior League of Orange County, with proceeds funding

numerous Junior League projects all throughout the year. The Orange

County league focuses its attention and resources primarily on the

prevention of child abuse and adolescent pregnancy.

This holiday season, the opening night gala will take place on

Oct. 19, with the traditional black tie, holiday theme, extravaganza

being chaired by Heather Klein. A dedicated volunteer, Klein and her

support staff will preside over the entire festivity, which will run

through Oct. 23.

For more information, contact Klein at (949) 261-0823.

An opening with Ambiance

As the holidays approach, four young local women are pooling their

talents and resources to open a new floral design business in Costa

Mesa. Ambiance Florals opened on 17th Street last week with a

charming after-hours cocktail reception designed to introduce the

community to their very special European floral design technique.

Char Walker, proprietor, joined floral designers Karen Carlson,

Tracy Carlson and Judy Strang in welcoming the Newport-Mesa crowd to

view their presentation of creative holiday floral arrangements. The

ladies come to their new Costa Mesa boutique from Fashion Island’s

Atrium Court, where they served the community for more than 15 years.

* THE CROWD appears Thursdays and Saturdays.