THE CROWD:

The 11th Toshiba Classic returns to the Newport Beach Country Club on Monday. The PGA event has raised more than $10 million for Hoag Hospital as well as other Orange County-based charities.

The Toshiba Classic has become a magnet for tourism, spreading the incomparable Newport Beach lifestyle all over the globe via television. The seven-day event runs through March 9. Organizers expect attendance of more than 100,000 guests.

Last year’s champion Jay Haas will return, joining golf stars including Loren Roberts, Lee Trevino and Hale Irwin. Also expected on the player list are Fred Funk, Sandy Lyle, Burnhard Langer, Jeff Sluman and John Cook. Gary Player will also appear for his sixth annual Toshiba Classic performance. The native South African commented, “I love this event. The Newport Beach Country Club is a wonderful golf course in the most beautiful part of the United States.”

Tom Brokaw is set to front the 21st annual Circle 1000 Founders Brunch. One of the nation’s best-known broadcast journalists will come to Newport Beach on April 18 to serve as keynote speaker for the Hoag Cancer Center event, which has become one of the most cherished and championed community gatherings on the social calendar. The Newport Beach Marriott Hotel will host the brunch, founded by Sandy Sewell 21 years ago.

Circle 1000 donors have contributed more than $8.2 million benefiting cancer programs at Hoag Memorial Hospital Presbyterian. In 2007, a record $1.2 million was raised at the brunch.

“Every family in America has been touched by cancer,” Brokaw offered. “I hope to encourage listeners to support their communities’ cancer research. It is the first step in understanding this deadly disease.”

For information about the Founder’s Brunch featuring Tom Brokaw, please call (949) 764-7200.

New Directions for Women, a local nonprofit drug and alcohol treatment center that helps women and their families to recover from addiction, will join forces with Costa Mesa’s Repeat Boutique for a March 7 spring sale and fashion show.

Repeat Boutique is a designer thrift store for both women and men.

Store manager Erin Greer is working with community volunteers and staff members to produce a fashion show with models showing off gently used designer clothing.

A portion of the proceeds from sales will benefit New Directions for women.

For more information, call Greer at (949) 548-9927.

More than 80 Orange County patrons of the Orange County Performing Artscenter gathered in the beautiful hillside home of Kathy and Cliff Fleming for another of the celebrity Oscar events on the Orange Coast.

Guests of the Flemings were members of the Center Stage Chapter of the Guilds, helping to raise $4,000 during the evening, earmarked for educational programs at the Performing Artscenter. Assisting Kathy Fleming with hostess duties were Susan DeSantis, Louise Costa, Margie Lord, Carol Dodson, Carlene Chew and Irene Bennett.

THE CROWD runs Thursdays and Saturdays.