Society hosts sister and sheriff

Taller San Jose, also known as St. Joseph’s Workshop, based in Santa

Ana and dedicated to educational assistance and job training for

young adults, has taken a major leap in the Newport-Mesa community

this year, attracting a cross-section of support from civic, business

and social organ- izations.

Joy and Vince McGuiness opened their coastal residence, welcoming

Orange County Sheriff Mike Carona to speak to the crowd on the

subject of “Crime and It’s Prevention in Orange County” in

conjunction with the work of Taller San Jose.

Taller San Jose founder Sister Eileen McNerney, who continues to

serve as executive director of the program, joined Carona in

discussing the value of community participation and networking with

young people to help divert them from the gang lifestyle.

Prominent locals in attendance were Richard and Hyla Bertea, Donna

and George Hill of Linda Isle and Bruce and Lynn Fetter. Also

supporting the cause was Orange County fashion maven Marie St. John

Gray, founder of St. John Knits.

QUEEN OF HEARTS

The Queen of Hearts Foundation, dedicated to raising funds for

ovarian cancer research, held its third annual event at the Four

Seasons Hotel, Newport Beach.

The ladies in charge took the guests on a time travel trip back to

the 1960s for an evening of “Beach Blanket Boogie.”

The casual summer party in the dead of winter was an enormous

success for founders Kim Beaudette and Cathy Greinke. With tremendous

support from committee members Karen Amies, Kristin Baker, Robin

Brewer, Shelley Brose, Mary Byers, Barbara Dove, Paddy Espley-Jones

and Lori Hunter, to name only a few, more than $80,000 was raised.

“There are 26,000 women diagnosed with ovarian cancer every year

and 14,000 will die,” Queen of Hearts President Kim Beaudette said.

Beaudette founded Queen of Hearts with her sister and their

families in memory of their mother Ann Sanborn Dobbie, who was

afflicted with ovarian cancer. Their goal is education, prevention

and funding research to find a cure.

For more information, call Beaudette at (949) 275-1775.

LUMINARIES OF FASHION

Barbara Nielson of Newport Beach will co-chair the upcoming spring

fashion show for the Luminaires, a support group for the esteemed

Doheny Eye Institute of Southern California.

The 2003 spring collection of St. John Knits will be featured in

the presentation that will take place at the Beverly Regent Hotel,

Beverly Hills on March 20.

Nielson will be joined by a host of local support traveling north

to raise funds to assist in research aimed at restoring, preserving

and improving eyesight for people of all ages and all circumstances.

Tickets to the show are $200 and may be reserved by calling

Susanne Schiff at (626) 441-2595.

And speaking of Beverly Hills, one of that community’s most

glamorous citizens, former Miss America Mary Ann Mobley Collins, will

grace Orange County on March 20 as the Crescendo Chapter of the

Guilds of the Performing Arts Center will present her to the local

crowd.

“I have had the same address, the same phone number and the same

husband for 34 years,” said Mobley Collins, who is married to TV host

Gary Collins.

She will speak to the local audience on her varied career in show

business and her involvement in public service. The lecture is open

to the public, and the cost is $25 at the door.

For more information, please call (714) 771-4679.

* THE CROWD runs Thursdays and Saturdays.