A woman you can trust

B.W. COOK

Betty Mower Potalivo, president of Northern Trust Bank, Orange County

in Newport Beach, was recognized as a “Woman of Distinction” at the

second honors luncheon put on by the Girl Scout Council of Orange

County.

A standing-room-only crowd of dedicated O.C. citizens recognized

Mower for her “efforts to help improve the quality of human care,

education, the arts and the environment in this community,” said Gail

Ellis-Olds, communications director for the Girl Scouts. Also honored

was Donna Mulvaney of Laguna Niguel, “a tireless volunteer associated

with Girl Scouting for the past 36 years,” added Ellis-Olds.

The annual “Voices” luncheon of the women’s division of the Jewish

Federation of Orange County unfolded at the Hyatt Regency Irvine,

contributing to a record $575,000 raised this past year by the Jewish

Federation annual Campaign in Orange County. Newport’s Marcy Wien and

Jane Brenner of Irvine chaired the women’s event. More than 500 local

guests came to hear speaker Wendy Wasserstein, a Pulitzer Prize and

Tony Award recipient. For her service to the Jewish community,

Michele Walot was honored as “Woman of the Year.” Funds raised are

earmarked for projects in O.C. as well as in other parts of the

nation and in Israel.

The Pelican Hill Clubhouse at Newport Coast hosted “A Taste For

The Cure” on behalf of the North American Foundation for the cure of

diabetes. More than 20 California wines were featured at this third

annual event chaired by Jerry Stefani, organization founder, and wine

connoisseur. Stefani’s son Brian was diagnosed with Type 1 diabetes

at 5 and continues to battle the disease.

Funds raised from the $60 per person wine tasting will be

earmarked to fund research including the first California islet cell

transplant procedures, part of the Edmonton Protocol developed by the

University of Alberta, Canada, scientists on the front line of

fighting diabetes since the discovery of insulin as a treatment in

1922.

* THE CROWD appears Thursdays and Saturdays.