Friends come through for canyon

B.W. COOK

More than 300 guests helped raise $43,000 for Friends of Canyon

Acres. The organization is dedicated to helping severely abused and

emotionally troubled children and families. The crowd came together

at the Hyatt Regency Irvine, presented with an impressive silent

auction and raffle featuring a 24K box chain necklace by designer

David Yurman. Chaired by Sue Joseph, the Newport-Mesa crowd sampled a

menu of cream of asparagus soup followed by a Thai steak salad and an

incredible dessert of mango sorbet and fresh berries in a chocolate

dipped Florentine wafer.

As guests enjoyed luncheon, a fashion show of men’s and women’s

clothes provided by South Coast Plaza and featuring the lines of

Vertigo, Tadashi, Global Passport, Oilily, Talbots Kids and Sergio

Rossi were shown by models on the runway. Even a few “celeb” male

models got in the act. KCBS-TV meteorologist Henry Di Carlo joined

Anaheim City Councilman Tom Tait and Olympic gold medalist Bruce

Furniss to help raise funds and awareness for FOCAS.

Founded in 1980, “Canyon Acres Children and Family Services

provides housing, care, treatment, and services to people in need,”

said Cheryl Honig of FOCAS. She added, “FOCAS began in 1986 as a

women’s auxiliary, and has raised more than $1 million for the

agency.”

Major sponsors of the fashion show and luncheon were Susan

Samueli, representing the Samueli Foundation, Wells Fargo Bank,

Redlands Ford, Fullerton Dodge, Excel Cabinets, Sentry Mechanical

Incorporated and S.E. Pipeline Construction Company. For more

information on FOCAS, and Canyon Acres, please call (714) 921-6084.

The recent gala for the Orange County chapter of the Alzheimer’s

Assn. raised more than $135,000, surpassing goals of the organizers.

The impressive “net” amount will aid O.C. citizens and families

affected by Alzheimer’s disease.

Chaired by Electa Anderson, the evening carried a theme of early

California memories and Spanish heritage and was billed as “April en

Espana”. Some 400 patrons filled the Sutton Place Hotel ballroom and

paid tribute to honorary chair and special guest Mary Muth and her

family. The Muth family, through the Peter and Mary Muth Foundation

have been generous supporters of the Alzheimer’s Assn. Also

recognized was Ann-Marie McDonald, serving as honorary corporate

chair of the event and representing her company, Pfizer.

Ambassador George and Julia Argyros, in from Spain, were major

underwriters of the affair. On hand, thanking the community for their

support were Jeff Saccacio, board chair from Hoag Hospital, Heidi

Shurtleff president of the Alzheimer’s Assn., and Steve Carroll of

the Anaheim Mighty Ducks, serving as emcee for the evening.

Funds raised will support some 60,000 O.C. citizens suffering from

Alzheimer’s disease. For more information, call (714) 823-1111.

* THE CROWD appears Thursdays and Saturdays.