Lavish circus helps children

B.W. COOK

Nearly 1,000 local guests gathered at the Cirque du Soleil tent at

the Orange County Fairgrounds last Friday to benefit Childhelp USA.

This season’s performance of Cirque du Soleil, “Varekai,” means

“wherever” in the Romany language of the gypsies. The exotic

performance brought out the crowd and raised significant funds, in

excess of $150,000, for Childhelp.

Cirque has forged a close bond with Childhelp, generously

providing a popular platform for fundraising. Barbara Ganahl,

dedicated Childhelp volunteer, once again chaired the undertaking

with panache. Tickets were sold at $100 and more for the performance,

with all proceeds donated to the charity in support of abused,

neglected and abandoned children. In addition to ticket revenue,

significant underwriting from two major donor families, Patti and Jim

Edwards and Donna and John Crean, assured a successful event.

Also generously supporting the evening for Childhelp were Lynette

and Richard Berg, Shelly and Jack Wronka, and the Don Minkoff family.

Twyla and Charles Martin, Pam Seiber-Weston, Eileen and Rich Saul,

Linda and Mike Jacobs, and Cindy Bistany also served as significant

underwriters. Corporate underwriting came from South Coast Plaza.

Following the performance, guests were treated to an after-party

featuring a late evening supper. Lido Isle’s Corky Winters joined

Susan Shaw in planning the late evening soiree attended by more than

500 guests. Spotted in the crowd supporting Childhelp USA were Mary

Allyn and Earl Dexter, Julie Whittington, Janet and Tom Brown, and

Nancy and Susan Whitlock.

SMASH-MOUTH FOOTBALL

Super Bowl XXXVIII was a smashing success, not only in Houston,

but also at the Village Crean on Newport’s Back Bay. Once again, John

and Donna Crean opened their estate to supporters of Family

Assessment Counseling and Educational Services for the big afternoon

of football.

Villa Nova restaurant catered lunch with desserts provided by

Panache for the more than 200 guests, who contributed a minimum of

$100 per person for a 50-yard-line perspective of the challenge, only

in vastly more comfortable surroundings. Big-screen TVs were set up

throughout the public rooms of the estate. There was plenty of

mingling, moving about and dining all afternoon long.

The organization is dedicated to providing counseling for children

caught in difficult divorce proceedings, and funds from the Super

Bowl event are earmarked for Family Assessment Counseling and

Educational Services’ Orange County Juvenile Connection Program,

which helps to prevent family violence working with local schools to

identify potential family needs.

* THE CROWD appears Thursdays and Saturdays.