THE CROWD:Baccarat donates proceeds to OCPAC

The very social Sound of Music chapter, in support of the Orange County Performing Arts Center, will kick off the fall season with a reception at the elegant Baccarat boutique at South Coast Plaza. The Sept. 13 in-store champagne party will feature the bubbly of Veuve Cliquot and the chic fashions of DonnaKaran New York.

The party will be chaired by the beautiful Danni Good and Sally Kenyon. Laura Baratta, chairwoman of the Sound of Music Guild, expects to greet more than 125 guests with their significant others, all in support of the OCPAC .

Baccarat has agreed to donate a percentage of the evening’s proceeds to the cause. For more information on an evening of champagne and fashion, please contact Danni Good at (949) 376-6304.

In other Guild news, the vibrant Center Stage chapter was overwhelmed with the success of its recent Red Hot Blues on a Cool Summer Night. The event attracted more than 600 guests, raising big bucks for the center.

For the 15th year in a row jazz filled the summer air over Costa Mesa as Finis Tasby and the Royal Blues Band entertained.

Area restaurants, including Truax, Leatherby’s, Morton’s, Chat Noir, Wolfgang Puck, and Café Tu Tu Tango, were among the generous participating vendors providing a spectacular dinner.

Center State chairwoman Margie Lord joined event chairwoman Gwen Braman and party emcee Phat Cat welcoming donors, underwriters and guests including Carol Dodson, Grant and Rita McPhail, Richard and Jane Taylor, Bonnie Bock, Ed and Jolene Cady, Robert and Bev Sandelman, Carol Hunt, and Corky Lunsford.

The sixth annual Child Abuse Prevention Center’s charity golf classic raised more than $64,000 that was earmarked for prevention programs in Orange County. The success was due in great part to the participation by the Newport Harbor Exchange Club and the Newport Harbor Yacht Club. Both organizations went overboard to rally their members to support the golf classic, which was Aug. 20 at El Niguel Country Club in Laguna Niguel.

The tournament was presented by Wells Fargo Bank. In addition to an 18-hole tournament of championship golf based on a scramble-start, best-ball format, a cocktail reception, silent auction, and postgame dinner and awards ceremony completed the event.

Since 1983 the Child Abuse Prevention Center has served more than 184,000 Orange County residents. For more information visit www.brightfutures4kids.org.

One of the most important social and educational fundraising events of the year is set to take place Sept. 13 at UCI. The Achievement Rewards for College Scientists Foundation will present the Arnold O. Beckman annual science lecture.

The evening will feature Harry Gray, Ph.D., the Arnold Beckman Professor of Chemistry and the founding director of the Beckman Institute at the California Institute of Technology. His subject will be Powering the Planet with Solar Energy.

This dedicated group raises significant scholarship funds for promising students following multiple paths of scientific discovery. For more information please call Pat Beckman at (949) 760-8587.