The high-minded Fashionable Women

The 19th annual Christmas at the Ritz presented by the Fashionable Women of Chapman University raised an impressive $172,000 for the university.

The Fashionable Women really should change their name to the Incredible Fundraising Women inasmuch as the ladies made a pledge to Chapman University to raise $500,000 over a five-year period. They raised the funds in 2 1/2 years, honoring their pledge, and brought in close to $200,000 more last weekend at their annual Christmas luncheon.

A majority of the funds raised will go to support student scholarships at Chapman University in addition to benefiting Chapman’s new Marion Knott Studios and the Dodge College of Film and Media Arts.

Besides the financial success of the event, Christmas at the Ritz is one of the most anticipated holiday events of the season in Newport Beach. Chaired by Marci Hollander, with support from the president of the Fashionable Women, Karen Elliott, and the dynamic and dedicated social doyenne Donna Bunce, the party was a lively and warm success.

On a sad note, the grand patron underwriters of the affair were Nancy and Jim Baldwin who had recently lost their son and his fellow travelers in a plane crash off the Orange County coast. The Baldwins joined fellow patrons Marybelle and Paul Musco in receiving a round of applause from friends and associates. Other patrons of honor included major Chapman benefactors Joann Leatherby and Greg Bates; Dorothy and Don Kennedy; and Paul and Daranne Folino.

The celebration started with a champagne reception on the Ritz patio followed by a three-course Christmas luncheon that began with wild mushroom cappuccino soup followed by seared tournedos of filet mignon and concluded with an exceptional dessert of warm winter pear cheesecake. Special appreciation goes to Fred Glusman, proprietor of the Ritz for his generous support of the Chapman Fashionable Women.

During the meal service, models in simple black leotards showed off the artistic jewelry collection of David Webb. Kevin Parker, David Webb representative and vice president of the Webb Boutique in Beverly Hills, has been a long-time and generous supporter of the Fashionable Women. To the delight of the crowd, Parker placed a David Webb signature watch wrapped in a handsome wooden box on each seat as the table favor for the more than 200 guests.