Shelter earns its Crowns at fundraiser

B.W. COOK

A recent fundraising dinner at Five Crowns Restaurant in Corona del

Mar resulted in an impressive $87,000 donation to the Orange Coast

Interfaith Shelter.

For the 13th consecutive year, the much-loved English dining room

hosted the event, helping the homeless families being assisted by the

shelter.

The dinner was produced by the Friends of the Orange County

Interfaith Shelter, the only fundraising arm of the establishment and

is one in a series of dining events at different restaurants in

Orange County.

On hand for the gourmet dinner at Five Crowns was FOCIS President

Linda Schulein, shelter executive director Michael Arnot and Five

Crowns marketing director Margo Brask and her husband, executive chef

Dennis Brask. More than a hundred patrons supported the evening.

Two dining events remain in the series. On April 4, dinner will be

served at 21 Oceanfront, and then Pascal will host an evening for the

shelter on May 23. Dinner reservations are available. Please call

Lynne Bloomberg at (949) 642-4029.

The Share Our Selves Auxiliary, also known as the SOS A-Team, got

together this week at the Corona del Mar residence of longtime

supporter Doretta Ensign. Lunch was served by Ensign and fellow

A-Team donor Beverly White, as the gals planned their upcoming annual

“Onion Luncheon” and fundraiser set for May 18.

The “onion luncheon” is a favorite of the local crowd, originated

by resident movie star Kathy Thompson -- a.k.a. Kathy Marlowe of

China Cove. Thompson provides guests and donors with wonderful bags

of fresh Vidalia onions from her coastal ranch up north.

Thompson also volunteered as a guest speaker at Ensign’s party,

sharing memories of her Hollywood career, including her association

with Howard Hughes.

Rosemary Swanson and the ladies comprising the Lido Isle Committee

of The Philharmonic Society of Orange County reported that a check

for $15,000 will be donated to the Philharmonic Society. The money

was at the committee’s third annual bridge and game luncheon recently

held on Lido.

The lovely Mary Manno handled the public relations detail, getting

the word out and attracting a large crowd that included organizers

and sponsors Elaine Gordon, Jean Graver, Nikki Repp, Pat Hopkins,

Gail Rosenstein, Rosie Houghton, Nell Hinshaw, Joyce Boghosian and

committee chairwoman Ellie Yates. Also present was the beautiful

Marion Pickens, longtime friend and trusted contributor to The Crowd.

Lunch was served by Linda Kinninger and the wine was served by

the best bartenders on Lido, Bob Swanson and Phil Ramer.

A little inside scoop -- Bob and Rosemary Swanson have a gorgeous

granddaughter named Erica Swanson, who has a small part on the HBO

series “Deadwood.” Erica can be seen beginning this week on the show.

Parents and friends of Newport Harbor High School gathered this

week for a Saturday evening affair billed as “Building a Better

Future, One Student At A Time.” The 12th annual high school benefit

for the Newport Harbor High School Educational Foundation was at the

Balboa Bay Club & Resort.

More than 400 guests raised upwards of $200,000 for the

foundation, which has a goal of raising $1 million this year. The

fundraising goal translates into $450 in funding per student for

vital programs, equipment, books and needed resources.

Diana Long serves as executive director of the organization, with

Nancy Andersson and Karen Farmer organizing the fundraiser.

Spotted in the crowd were Carl and Lynn Swain, Jan and Jerry

Barto, Craig and Shelly Clark, Duffy and Terry Duffield (who donated

a Duffy boat for the live auction), Roger and Sandy DeYoung, Jan

Agopian, Jody and Scott Burnham, Chip and Gayle Butera, Dee and Randy

Curry and Kristina and Peter Grace.

Also supporting the event were Newport-Mesa Unified School

District Supt. Rob Barbot and his wife Jan, Kathi Haskell, Jim and

Jill Kalmbach, Paul and Kelly McKelvey, Patti and Bill O’Desky and

Newport Harbor Principal Michael Vossen and his wife Robyn.

For more information on the Newport Harbor Educational Foundation,

visit https://www.buildingabetterfuture.org.

* THE CROWD appears Thursdays and Saturdays.