THE CROWD:Impressive fundraising for New Directions

The third annual Chrysalis Ball raised an impressive $100,000 for nonprofit drug and alcohol residential treatment in Orange County. The recent midweek event, held at Joe’s Garage in Tustin, attracted a large crowd of Newport-Mesa support for an organization known as New Directions for Women that assists women with alcohol and other substanceabuse dependency in putting their lives back on course. New Directions also works closely with the children, husbands and extended families of dependent women in an effort to keep the family together as they face the crisis of recovery and rehabilitation. Funds raised at the party will enable the New Directions for Women Foundation to continue financing programs, including the all-important recovery facility that houses patients.

The honorary chairs of the gathering were Dick and Carole Pickup, who welcomed the celebrity of the night — singer, songwriter and actor Paul Williams. Also honored were donors, volunteers and staff, including Sally Frei, Donald Girard, and the late Meredith Foreman of Lido Isle, and New Directions founding member Dot Clock, whose memory was applauded posthumously for her vision and fortitude in facing the previously clandestine issue of alcohol abuse among women.

The highlight of the night was the raffle of a very special 1988 Ford Mustang Cobra, a Fox-body prototype muscle car with an estimated value of $90,000. The winner was actress Linda Gehringer, who happened to miss the party because she was performing that evening in the South Coast Repertory Production of “The Piano Teacher.”

New Directions for Women is a nonprofit residential treatment facility in Costa Mesa. For more information, contact Kim Farthing at (949) 548-5546, ext. 502, or e-mail ndfw@newdirectionsforwomen.org .

Another organization providing homes and health services in this community is Canyon Acres. Its mission is to care for children with mental-health issues due to severe abuse.

This week in Newport Beach, at the Balboa Bay Club and Resort, 400 guests came together to raise more than $425,000 for Canyon Acres.

Organizers, including Co-chairwomen Carol Eastman and Sofia Riley, welcomed the crowd who came to bid generously on auction items sold by fast-talking Jeff Stokes, who motivated donors to purchase such prizes as a helicopter ride with the Anaheim Police Department, seats in the mayor’s suite for an Angels game, a Newport Harbor cruise on a Harbor Patrol vessel, and many more unusual prizes.

The evening unfolded at the waterfront resort with the ballroom decorated as an enchanted forest filled with large trees covered in twinkling white lights. The magical theme was carried over as “tree nymph” dancers pranced among the tables.

Canyon Acres executive director Clete Menke was on hand to praise the volunteers and to recognize major donors, including Newport’s Glenn and Mindy Stearns, recipients of the major family award of the night. Corporate recognition went to the Karl H. Landsberg Co., and the community service award was presented to I Padrini d’Antonello for their exemplary dedication to the Canyon Acres program.

A surprise special guest of the evening was former U.S. Atty. Gen. Janet Reno, who said, “I think it’s wonderful that we have such young and willing people to assist our youth. There are children in our communities that need so much help at different levels; it’s fantastic that so many people want to contribute to a wonderful organization such as Canyon Acres. I’m very pleased to see this happening.”

An emotional conclusion to the evening was the introduction of Ricky, a boy placed at Canyon Acres for treatment, who after many years of hard work was ultimately adopted by a loving mother.

For more information on the work of Canyon Acres, please call (714) 385-5270 or go to www.canyonacres.org .