The Great Park Conservancy's annual "Jewel of Orange County" Benefit Proves Informative and Entertaining
It was a picture-perfect California day as 325 guests arrived at the former El Toro Marine Base Friday for the Great Park Conservancy's fourth annual Jewel of Orange County event. Located right next to the huge orange Great Park Balloon, guests lounged on comfortable couches in one of the base's hangars for cocktails and hors d'oeuvres. Thanks to Blue Ice Vodka, guests enjoyed all manner of vodka drinks, including the evening's signature concoction, the OC Zinger – main ingredients, vodka and orange juice, of course! A mini silent auction drew interest with Gucci sunglasses from Neiman Marcus, a Gucci "Corrundum" white gold ring from the boutique at South Coast Plaza, and a Charriol diamond necklace from the boutique in Fashion Island. Ticket buying was brisk for the opportunity prize, a Cartier 18k yellow gold "Love" bracelet, thanks to Caroline Jones at Cartier, South Coast Plaza, before the party moved out on the tarmac for an alfresco dinner provided by Brian Dobbin and his crew. The organically grown, mesquite grilled dinner was served on biodegradable plates at tables centered with miniature wooden baskets spilling out oranges and limes.
Conservancy board member and event chair Teddie Ray welcomed everyone and introduced her committee, which included Donald Akin, Joni Brice, Peggy Goldwater Clay, Sheila Peterson, Janet Ray, Kathy Taylor, Ellen Hansen Walker, Rosemary Ward, Lizanne Witte, and Tricia Wilhelm. Earlier, when I had asked Ray about her commitment to the park, she said, "I think of this as a legacy project. If my grandmother was one of the early supporters of Central Park, I would be so proud. I think everyone who is involved in large metropolitan parks all feel that they are doing it for future generations."
Michael Ray, who recently stepped down as founding chairman of the Great Park Conservancy board, was recognized as the board's first Chairman Emeritus before he updated everyone on the park's progress the past year. With more than 120,000 people visiting the park, Michael mentioned the park's Friday night dances and Saturday night concerts, the Fall Pumpkin Harvest Festival and the mid-winter Great Skate that transformed Hangar 244 into a public ice skating rink. He particularly thanked Joan Halvajian for arranging that 5,000 Valencia orange trees be donated to the Great Park, as part of a 20-acre citrus orchard at the soon-to-be-developed Great Park Community Farm.
The Conservancy's new board chairwoman, Marian Bergeson, talked about the park's 500-acre Phase One Development Plan, with $61 million already committed by the Great Park Corporation, to create a sports park, a new Orange County home for the world-famous Cirque du Soleil (coming in January, 2010), a wildlife corridor, the aforementioned Community Farm, where produce will stock Second Harvest Food Bank and Orange County Food Bank to feed the hungry, and the Conservancy Nature Education Garden, a partnership with the Discovery Science Center and its president Joe Adams. "I see a tremendous potential for the Great Park," Bergeson said, "and I think with the progress we're making at the present time, people are going to see a significant change."
KOCE's Ed Arnold headed up a fun live auction, featuring a vodka party for 20 in the Second Harvest Food Bank's 4,500-square foot freezer in its warehouse at the Great Park (winter coats suggested!) and a Great Park Wilderness Corridor guided hike, including a picnic, by the park's principal ecologist, Dr. Steven Handel, and board vice chairman, Dr. Michael Pinto. The evening segued to dancing to the Jazzy Boy Jeff band, as the orange globe rose once again like a full moon into the night sky. Net proceeds were later estimated at $100,000.
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When you're putting with a hockey stick, blindfolded or using the 7-iron for all your stokes on a hole, you know it's not a normal golf game. Thus, the Jessica Erstad"Not So Serious" Women's Golf Outing was born. Erstad wanted to support the Child Abuse Prevention Center by creating a fun event for women, whether you could golf or not. This year's effort, the sixth, was held July 15th at the Black Gold Golf Club in Yorba Linda and drew 100 golfers for the nine-hole tournament. Erstad, always smiling and upbeat and an avid supporter of CAPC, said, "These kids haven't had a chance to make any choices," she said. "They don't choose to have their parents treat them bad or good. I get upset with my kids at times, but I can't imagine making them sleep in a drawer all night."
Anaheim Ducks Production Manager Kent French proved a spirited emcee, introducing Erstad and her Houston Astros husband Darin Erstad, who came to lend support to his wife's cause. Jessica, in turn, introduced and thanked her committee, which included co-chair Kerry Wurzelbacher, Barbara Boatman, Diana Brown, Stephanie Carew, Asha Genske, Shelly Gerber, Sue O'Shea, Lisa Staight, and Denise Stillman. Event sponsors were also recognized and included Toshiba with Angie Bernard, Anaheim Angels with Patty Hatcher, Legacy Sports with Stephanie Carew, Ladies of Law Enforcement with Cynthia Edes, Genske, Mulder & Co. with Carol Genske, The Winery Restaurant, and Robertson, Griege and Thoele.
Kent proved a fun-loving auctioneer for the live auction, which saw Jamie Gross win the Phillip Stein diamond watch from Traditional Jewelers in Fashion Island; Rachel Everett, the Angels suite; Pam Ross, the Paso Robles wine country weekend; Jennifer Fogg, the San Diego get-away package; Asha Genske, the LA Kings package; and Clasina Johnson, the Las Vegas excursion for two via Southwest Airlines to The Venetian with golf instruction at the Butch Harmon School of Golf.
The winning foursome was Michelle, Brittany and Chris Sieger and Sandy Des Biens, and the top donation team, dubbed the "Mr. & Mrs. Smith" hole for "adopting" the most children, was the Jennifer Fogg family, who come from Oklahoma City every year for the tournament. Joining Jennifer was her mother Melinda Roberts, her ex-husband Brian Fogg and her father Craig Parker, the only two men in the tournament.
CAPC's Executive Director Scott Trotter talked about how the $50,000 netted from the event will help at-risk children and families in crisis. "The proceeds will provide more case workers to go into the homes to provide resources and teach parenting skills as well as professionals to go into the classroom to talk about teen dating violence and pregnancy prevention."
from:www.ocregister.com
Conservancy board member and event chair Teddie Ray welcomed everyone and introduced her committee, which included Donald Akin, Joni Brice, Peggy Goldwater Clay, Sheila Peterson, Janet Ray, Kathy Taylor, Ellen Hansen Walker, Rosemary Ward, Lizanne Witte, and Tricia Wilhelm. Earlier, when I had asked Ray about her commitment to the park, she said, "I think of this as a legacy project. If my grandmother was one of the early supporters of Central Park, I would be so proud. I think everyone who is involved in large metropolitan parks all feel that they are doing it for future generations."
Michael Ray, who recently stepped down as founding chairman of the Great Park Conservancy board, was recognized as the board's first Chairman Emeritus before he updated everyone on the park's progress the past year. With more than 120,000 people visiting the park, Michael mentioned the park's Friday night dances and Saturday night concerts, the Fall Pumpkin Harvest Festival and the mid-winter Great Skate that transformed Hangar 244 into a public ice skating rink. He particularly thanked Joan Halvajian for arranging that 5,000 Valencia orange trees be donated to the Great Park, as part of a 20-acre citrus orchard at the soon-to-be-developed Great Park Community Farm.
The Conservancy's new board chairwoman, Marian Bergeson, talked about the park's 500-acre Phase One Development Plan, with $61 million already committed by the Great Park Corporation, to create a sports park, a new Orange County home for the world-famous Cirque du Soleil (coming in January, 2010), a wildlife corridor, the aforementioned Community Farm, where produce will stock Second Harvest Food Bank and Orange County Food Bank to feed the hungry, and the Conservancy Nature Education Garden, a partnership with the Discovery Science Center and its president Joe Adams. "I see a tremendous potential for the Great Park," Bergeson said, "and I think with the progress we're making at the present time, people are going to see a significant change."
KOCE's Ed Arnold headed up a fun live auction, featuring a vodka party for 20 in the Second Harvest Food Bank's 4,500-square foot freezer in its warehouse at the Great Park (winter coats suggested!) and a Great Park Wilderness Corridor guided hike, including a picnic, by the park's principal ecologist, Dr. Steven Handel, and board vice chairman, Dr. Michael Pinto. The evening segued to dancing to the Jazzy Boy Jeff band, as the orange globe rose once again like a full moon into the night sky. Net proceeds were later estimated at $100,000.
* * *
When you're putting with a hockey stick, blindfolded or using the 7-iron for all your stokes on a hole, you know it's not a normal golf game. Thus, the Jessica Erstad"Not So Serious" Women's Golf Outing was born. Erstad wanted to support the Child Abuse Prevention Center by creating a fun event for women, whether you could golf or not. This year's effort, the sixth, was held July 15th at the Black Gold Golf Club in Yorba Linda and drew 100 golfers for the nine-hole tournament. Erstad, always smiling and upbeat and an avid supporter of CAPC, said, "These kids haven't had a chance to make any choices," she said. "They don't choose to have their parents treat them bad or good. I get upset with my kids at times, but I can't imagine making them sleep in a drawer all night."
Anaheim Ducks Production Manager Kent French proved a spirited emcee, introducing Erstad and her Houston Astros husband Darin Erstad, who came to lend support to his wife's cause. Jessica, in turn, introduced and thanked her committee, which included co-chair Kerry Wurzelbacher, Barbara Boatman, Diana Brown, Stephanie Carew, Asha Genske, Shelly Gerber, Sue O'Shea, Lisa Staight, and Denise Stillman. Event sponsors were also recognized and included Toshiba with Angie Bernard, Anaheim Angels with Patty Hatcher, Legacy Sports with Stephanie Carew, Ladies of Law Enforcement with Cynthia Edes, Genske, Mulder & Co. with Carol Genske, The Winery Restaurant, and Robertson, Griege and Thoele.
Kent proved a fun-loving auctioneer for the live auction, which saw Jamie Gross win the Phillip Stein diamond watch from Traditional Jewelers in Fashion Island; Rachel Everett, the Angels suite; Pam Ross, the Paso Robles wine country weekend; Jennifer Fogg, the San Diego get-away package; Asha Genske, the LA Kings package; and Clasina Johnson, the Las Vegas excursion for two via Southwest Airlines to The Venetian with golf instruction at the Butch Harmon School of Golf.
The winning foursome was Michelle, Brittany and Chris Sieger and Sandy Des Biens, and the top donation team, dubbed the "Mr. & Mrs. Smith" hole for "adopting" the most children, was the Jennifer Fogg family, who come from Oklahoma City every year for the tournament. Joining Jennifer was her mother Melinda Roberts, her ex-husband Brian Fogg and her father Craig Parker, the only two men in the tournament.
CAPC's Executive Director Scott Trotter talked about how the $50,000 netted from the event will help at-risk children and families in crisis. "The proceeds will provide more case workers to go into the homes to provide resources and teach parenting skills as well as professionals to go into the classroom to talk about teen dating violence and pregnancy prevention."
from:www.ocregister.com
