Giving and getting back

B.W. COOK

Yoga is the physical and mental fitness rage, and Newport Beach

firefighters got into the act recently while supporting an event at

Yoga Works.

The event, in turn, supported and benefited the Orange County Burn

Assn. and the Burn Center at UC Irvine. The crowd turned out to work

out with the firefighters, raising more than $10,000 and plenty of

sweat. On hand for the event were Yoga Works founders Maty Ezraty and

Chuck Miller, as well as Randi Beek, founder of Yoga Place. Local

celeb and lifelong yogi Barbara Venezia coordinated the fundraising

event for the community and the firefighters.

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The Orange County Black Chamber of Commerce celebrated its 20th

anniversary in style with a gala dinner that attracted a crowd of

nearly 1,000 guests. They called the event, “Passport to an Olympic

Experience” and honored some of Orange County’s finest Olympic stars

in addition to local business leaders making a difference in the

community. Sandra Robbie of KOCE accepted the “Community Leadership

Award” with Howard Chanstiel of PacifiCare taking home “Corporation

of the Year” honors. Also recognized was Bob Menzies, lauded as

“Business Person of the Year.” In the crowd were Olympic athletes

Willie Banks, Rafer Johnson, Evelyn Furtsch Ojeda and Mal Whitfield.

Actor Dorian Harewood emceed the evening, helping to bring in more

than $40,000 for the Black Chamber of Commerce Education Fund.

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The Summer Food & Wine Festival at South Coast Plaza, benefiting

the Second Harvest Food Bank and the Someone Cares Soup Kitchen,

attracted an enormous local turnout of folks eager to sample the

elaborate fare spread out by generous local restaurants and food and

wine vendors.

Sponsored in part by Volvo, as well as South Coast Plaza, some of

the participating restaurants included Antonello, Bangkok Four, Back

Bay Rowing Club, Claim Jumper, Lawry’s Carvery and the Clubhouse, to

name a few. Guests enjoyed wine and beer from more than 25 vintners

and breweries, sampled cuisine and raised significant money to feed

those in need. The big prize opportunity drawing was a year of dining

at South Coast Plaza -- dinner for two, once a month at 12 different

restaurants.

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The Secret Service has been all over Newport this week in advance

of Democratic vice-presidential candidate Sen. John Edwards’ visit to

Orange County today. Edwards will address supporters at a sold out

and seriously secure Balboa Bay Club and Resort ballroom, an event

expected to raise significant sums for the Kerry-Edwards campaign.

Insiders factoid: The Secret Service books multiple rooms in

hotels prior to the visit of a guarded politician, choosing one room

at the last minute for use by the subject.

For those readers in conservative Orange County fearful of

Democratic candidates stomping in Republican territory, rest assured

that there was equal time for the Republican voice at the Balboa Bay

Club. Republican Senate Leader Tom Delay met with constituents at the

BBC last week. The Secret Service is everywhere.

* THE CROWD appears Thursdays and Saturdays.