High achievers earn stars

Monday was ladies night in Laguna Beach.

The Laguna Beach Foundation of the American Assn. of University Women honored four locals for their outstanding contributions to the community.

Valerie Imhof, Michelle Reinglass, Toni Iseman and Elizabeth Pearson-Schneider were presented with the 2005 star trophies at the seventh annual leadership dinner, held at Tivoli Too. The 1999 women of achievement also were presented with stars, which were not a part of the event that first year.

“Who knew then that this event would be so successful,” said Carol Reynolds, founder and perennial chair of the dinner.

The class of 1999 included former Mayor Kathleen Blackburn; Laguna’s first woman mayor, Phyllis Sweeney; environmentalists Mary Fegraus and Hortense Miller; educator Lee Winocur-Field; righters of wrongs Anne Johnson and the late Alice Graves; Arts Commissioner Emeritus Doris Shields; preeminent volunteer Sande St. John; and this reporter.

Shields, who was to celebrate her 90th birthday on Tuesday, was serenaded by the diners, led by former honoree Pat Kollenda.

It was a night of laughter and tears -- some of both in response to Reynolds’ hilarious description of USC quarterback Matt Leinart’s last-minute heroics to extend the team’s winning streak, challenged by Notre Dame. Reynolds had read the sports pages, apparently for the first time in her life, which included Leinart’s statement about smiling at his teammates in the final seconds of the game when they were still behind. She was trying to tie Leinart’s leadership qualities to her belief that winners smile and to Iseman’s gift of grins.

Oh, for a tape recorder.