Heartfelt holiday fundraisers

B.W. COOK

The spirit of seasonal giving was in major force as Hoag Memorial

Hospital Presbyterian donors celebrated its 37th annual Christmas

Carol Ball at the Ritz Carlton Hotel in Laguna Niguel.

The sold-out evening raised $350,000 for the Hoag Hospital Heart

and Vascular Institute and Women’s Pavilion.

Produced by the hospital’s 552 Club and chaired by Heather and Ira

Garbutt, the evening attracted broad community support with

underwriting from Patti and Jim Edwards, Maralou and Jerry

Harrington, Sandi and Ron Simon, Pam and Jim Young and Edward

Fedishon. Harbor Island’s fashionable Elizabeth Vincent donated a

cruise on her legendary Newport yacht Nordic Star for the live

auction.

Dedicated hospital supporters included Lin and Al Auer, and

hospital board chair Dick Allen and his wife, Mary, enjoyed a holiday

dinner of roasted prime fillet as the Wayne Foster Orchestra

entertained. Corporate support for the evening came from IBM,

Prudential Overall Supply, Union Bank of California, Greater Newport

Physicians Medical Group and the Arnold and Mabel Beckman Foundation.

The Orange County chapter of Childhelp USA held its annual holiday

boutique and luncheon at the Hyatt Regency Hotel in Irvine. A

capacity crowd visited all of the Christmas vendors and offered

seasonal gifts in the ballroom. Proceeds benefited Childhelp USA, the

largest children’s charity in the county.

Co-chaired by Catherine Caporaso and Patty Farmer, the

inspirational event attracted about 700 guests raising funds for

Childhelp foster care, educational programs and Children’s Living

Centers, with emphasis on Childhelp’s residential care facility in

Beaumont, Calif.

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HOLIDAY TREE FANTASY

The 21st annual Child Guidance Center’s Holiday Tree Fantasy

brought together more than 250 local guests for a luncheon

fundraiser. The Sunday soiree was chaired by Doreen Gunness, held at

the Hyatt Regency, and raised $25,000 for the guidance center.

The focus of the event was an auction of eight fabulous holiday

trees going to high bidders. Newport’s much-loved and its most

charitable couple, John and Donna Crean, were among the sponsors of

the trees, allowing the charity to reap a maximum reward from the

auction.

Other tree sponsors were SBC Pacific Bell, Hasbro, Clint Richards

of the Anaheim Angels, Young Entrepreneurs, Kyocera Tycom,

Restaurants on the Run and the Longboard Restaurant.

The Child Guidance Center is dedicated to providing quality

outpatient mental health, child abuse and substance abuse-related

counseling.

* THE CROWD appears Thursdays and Saturdays.