THE CROWD:Wallets spring open at clambake fundraiser

A whole bunch of clams were raised at the ninth annual Crean’s Clambake and Rockin’ Lobster Bash. The summer party at Shady Canyon Golf Club attracted 365 Newport-Mesa guests who donated a net amount in excess of $140,000 to the Children’s Bureau of Orange County, one of Donna Crean’s most cherished organizations. The bureau, a local arm of the 100-year-old Children’s Bureau of Los Angeles, began as an adoption agency and is one of Southern California’s most important child-welfare services in the area of treatment and prevention of child abuse and neglect. With Donna Crean’s support, the bureau established an O.C. arm in 1987, and now serves more than 5,000 children and their families each year.

The clambake was co-chaired by a trio of dynamic gals, Jennifer Condas, Eve Kornyei and Irene Tomkinson, who worked non-stop to rally the community. Sponsors included some very generous citizens like Harriet and Sandy Sandhu of Pelican Point; Holly and Mark Kerslake; and Corona del Mar’s Stan Hanson and Eve Kornyei.

Once again John and Donna Crean made a significant donation along with corporate sponsors such as AcrA Aerospace, Inc, 1st Heritage Bank, California Bank & Trust, Impac Funding, Union Bank of California and Disneyland Resort.

Patrons arrived at Shady Canyon to the beat of the Tijuana Dogs as hostesses passed out cocktails courtesy of Shady Canyon and Palandri Winery. Local celeb chef Jamie Gwen was the emcee and auctioneer, and helped to raise the financial bar as the crowd dined on a wonderful summer-barbecue buffet of steak and lobster.

Also supporting the Children’s Bureau were Leslie and Larry Cancellieri; Deborah and Henry Mayhew; Lisa and Les Fujimoto; Christy and Joe Nowak; Kris Mauger; Patricia Giddings; Analisa and Bruce Albert; Tim and Beth Shields; and George Shields. Glamorous ladies in their summer shifts were Peggy Goldwater Clay, a longtime bureau supporter; Shari Ciko of Newport Coast; Darby Manclark; Sarah Corrigan; Lana Chandler; and Barbara Eidson.