THE CROWD

B.W. Cook

A full moon shimmering on the water of the Newport Main Channel called

the black-tie crowd to head directly to the Newport Harbor Yacht Club to

celebrate the Candy Cane Ball. As private vehicles and limousines pulled

into the club parking lot delivering the local carriage trade to the 53rd

annual Christmas ball presented by the Junior Auxiliary of the Assistance

League of Newport-Mesa, other guests chose to arrive via the nautical

waterways of the spectacular harbor. More than a few yachts delivered the

holiday revelers, as the dock master and his crew at the yacht club

ushered guests ashore via launch.

Entering the club, the crowd was greeted with a lavish display of hors

d’oeuvres as bartenders prepared and served favorite holiday beverages.

The martini bar has become the rage of the social event this season, and

it is often sponsored by a particular brand of vodka or gin. Assistance

League organizers chose to set up their holiday bar with every brand, not

to be outdone in creating the perfect party opener for guests paying $150

per person to support Assistance League programs in the community. If

martini bars were not your holiday choice, servers were also pouring

bubbly as the guests arrived and entered the club, resplendent in white

twinkling holiday lights.

Entering the dining room, event co-chairs Cameron Bryson, Kate

Carvelli and Sandy De Young filled the waterfront room with a profusion

of red and white roses, perfect to set the holiday mood. A dinner of

swordfish and filet was exceptionally prepared and served by the yacht

club staff, followed by a dessert of individual chocolate souffles served

piping hot.

Guests table-hopped, paying close attention to the massive silent

auction, which is one of the most grandiose produced on the charity event

circuit. The auction was co-chaired by Kay Davis and Sue Hall, with a

committee that included Sue Cox, Pam Nelson, Jane Owen, Ann Seagren,

Michelle Tingler and Holly Wiener to name only a few.

The auction brought in significant funds, with some of the more

interesting items including a golden retriever puppy that fetched $1,600,

and tickets to a Sugar Ray concert, which brought in $1,000. The big item

of the night was a raffle for a 2002 Volkswagen Beetle provided by

McKenna Volkswagen.

A total of 500 raffle tickets were sold at $100 each, with one man

purchasing 70 tickets, making a $7,000 donation to the league. Guess

what? He won. Insiders report he bought the car as a gift for a family

member that needed a new car. Not a bad deal.

Event co-chairwoman Cameron Bryson was among the most glamorous women

of the evening, wearing a very chic floor-length black evening dress

exposing her tanned and worked-out shoulders and arms. Bryson, something

of a young Kim Novak look-alike, is a personal trainer by day and, given

the stares at her exquisite physique by both men and women, it is most

likely that her business has doubled. And who says business and society

don’t mix?

Another of the co-chairwomen of the very successful event was pretty

Kate Carvelli, who chose a traditional red and black plaid holiday

ensemble for the Candy Cane Ball extravaganza.

Carvelli commented, “I was warned when I took this position about the

stress of working with volunteers to produce a major event. I am

delighted to report that I remain best friends with my fellow chairs

Sandy De Young and Cam Bryson. We have just had the best time working

together.”

The gals clearly succeeded as the event was not only sold out but many

people had to be turned away.

In the crowd were Mary Pat and Kent Lucas, Bruce and Jill Ayres, Mike

and Mary Fox and Jerry and Debi Guibord. More than $60,000 was raised by

the Junior Auxiliary to help the Assistance League of Newport Mesa with

its programs throughout the year.

* THE CROWD appears Thursdays and Saturdays.