Assisting Olive Crest in style

It was a stellar evening with close to 900 guests attending the

recent Olive Crest Black and White Ball. The sold-out evening

attracted both local and national celebrities as well as

salt-of-the-earth Orange Coast standouts who came for dinner and

dancing and to make a difference for abused children who are assisted

by Olive Crest Homes and services.

The nonprofit organization celebrated three decades as a local

leader in the prevention of child abuse.

“Olive Crest has provided care for more than 20,000 children and

their families over the last 30 years,” said Lana Chandler, a

spokeswoman for the evening.

Chandler joined Dave Peters, executive producer of the evening at

the Hyatt Regency, Irvine, welcoming the arriving crush of notables.

Hollywood actor Perry King arrived in his black-on-black tuxedo

and joined KCAL-TV news anchor Kerry Kilbride, radio host Mary Price

and writer Antwone Fisher for the celebration. Orange County Sheriff

Mike Corona was there with his wife, Debbie, and in from Los Angeles

was Michael Klausman, president of CBS Television Studios in Studio

City.

Fisher, Corona and Klausman were the evening’s honorees, being

lauded for their generous support of Olive Crest. With the show biz

connection, organizers billed the evening “Star In A Child’s Life, A

Hollywood Spectacular.”

Local VIPs attending the party included the generous Duane and

Kelly Roberts, coastal residents who commute to Riverside, where they

own, among other trophy properties, the landmark Mission Inn.

Esteemed U.S. Peace Corps Director Gaddi Vasquez and his wife,

Elaine, were in attendance, along with Dave and Cathie Simmonson.

Dave Simmonson is president of Albertson’s Markets, Southern

California Region. Mark and Barbara Johnson, Tom Burnham, Joe and

Nancy Higgins, and Victor and Stephanie Avila were also in the crowd

to support Olive Crest.

The evening, which is also a major function for our local hockey

players, the Mighty Ducks, was co-chaired by Carol Seelig Eastman,

John Driscoll and Tom Stallings. Other committee members working with

Olive Crest organizers and the Mighty Ducks Care organization were

Steve Bernardy, Chuck Dreyer, Don Rawson, Jay Vella, and Raymond

Whipp III.

* THE CROWD runs Thursdays and Saturdays.