Junior League makes it ‘Haute’

B.W. COOK

The Junior League of Orange County recently presented White Haute

Nights, its spring fundraiser at the Balboa Bay Club & Resort in

Newport Beach.

Some 500 guests converged upon the coastal club on a balmy

Saturday night that felt more like summer. Event chair Lori Wagner,

working with Junior League president Kathleen Hill and a dedicated

group, created a fabulous evening by the bay for patrons who came to

sip a glass of wine on the waterfront terrace, enjoy a cigar on the

beach and participate in an evening of “Monte Carlo” gaming created

by party planners.

The evening began with a special reception held outdoors. As the

music of a steel drum band played, tarot card readings and cigar

rolling demonstrations entertained the crowd. As the evening crush

arrived, bartenders worked overtime blending Caribbean cocktails. A

buffet of Cuban cuisine was served as partygoers played casino games

and bid on silent auction items. The major prizes included a Mammoth

Mountain getaway, jewelry by David Yurman, a big screen TV, beauty

treatments and dining experiences at local haunts, such as Villa Nova

and Capri Blu. This year, the big drawing gave one lucky winner a

trip to Fiji.

Assisting Wagner was a group that included Heather Anderson,

chair-elect Angie Rowe, Isabelle Ord, Violet Ward, Denise Scott,

Susan Puskarich and Junior League president-elect Vicki Hassman.

Spotted in the crowd were yacht broker Mike Costa of Seanet,

Stephanie Kipkins, Todd and Lauren Sherman and Kelly Grose, another

of the committee members working on the event. Additional board

members deserving recognition include Stephanie Paggi, Marni Avery,

Linda McGill, MeeRan Kim, Amy Friedli, Marisa Bellisimo-Unvert and

Monica Johnson.

Also supporting the Junior League were Caroline Gray, Francine

Scaccia, Cindy Werth, Anna Wilson, Heather Smith and Kaira Brekke.

The event was decorated by Timree Gold.

Proceeds from White Haute Nights will go to the YMCA of Orange

County, Laura’s House, Canyon Acres Children’s Services, Court

Appointed Special Advocates, Impact Orange County, Orangewood

Foundation’s Bear Hugs and other Junior League-sponsored community

grants and youth scholarships.

For more information on the Junior League of Orange County, go to

https://www.jlocc.org.

* THE CROWD appears Thursdays and Saturdays.