Dedicated young ladies spotlighted at debs’ ball

B.W. COOK

Twenty-one young ladies each took a bow and were formally presented

to society.

The 44th annual debutant ball of the National Charity League Inc.,

Newport Chapter, took place recently at the Hyatt Regency Irvine

Hotel.

More than 400 guests joined the celebration, witnessing the

coming-of-age of a class of dedicated young ladies who have served

the community through National Charity League sponsored endeavors,

culminating in an elegant graduation. James Roberts served the league

as presenter of the evening, introducing each of the debutants and

their escorts in traditional form. Mrs. Robert Schnieders presided

over the evening in her role as director of debutant activities,

sharing responsibility with Mrs. Gary McKitterick, president of the

Newport Chapter of the National Charity League.

A very involved committee of League parents and friends supported

both Schnieders and McKitterick, ensuring the success of the evening

and creating a lifelong memory for the 21 young women just getting

started in life.

The talented Andrew Gromek of Couture Flowers, Newport Beach,

filled the Hyatt ballroom with hundreds of flickering candles and

breathtaking displays of white hydrangeas helping to set the tone.

Jay Sterling and his orchestra played music from the classic American

songbook, joined by presenter James Roberts at the microphone singing

a few numbers for the crowd.

The American Liver Foundation will host “Flavors of Orange County

Chefs 2005” on Jan. 23 at the Balboa Bay Club & Resort, Newport

Beach. The Bay Club’s executive chef Josef Lageder will join forces

with Alan Greeley of The Golden Truffle, Newport Beach, to host a

class of Orange County’s most outstanding culinary experts as a

fundraiser for the Liver Foundation.

Participants in the culinary extravaganza will include Pascal

Olhats, David Pratt, Yvon Goetz, Phillip Kaufman, Jeff Riggs, Andrew

Sutton and Rodrick Wilker, to name only a few.

The event is staged as an awareness symposium to acquaint local

citizens with the impact of liver disease including viral hepatitis

in the community. For more information on the chef’s dinner on Jan.

23, please contact Donna Gracon at (310) 670-4624.

Newport’s Mary Blake co-chaired a very special evening with Evie

Pilkerton, held under a full moon at Tony and Melinda Moiso’s Arroyo

Trabuco Golf Club on behalf of a nonprofit known as Mary’s Shelter.

Founded 10 years ago, the shelter is a home for pregnant teenage

girls and their babies.

More than 300 children have been born to find their initial care

coming from Mary’s Shelter. In California today, Mary’s Shelter is a

facility available to all girls who have nowhere else to turn.

The dinner dance at Arroyo Trabuco featured the music of the Mark

Davidson Quartet as a dinner of King Salmon, prime rib and Trabuco

Canyon chicken was served under the supervision of dining room

manager Matt Donovan, originally from Balboa Island.

His culinary career has taken him all over the country, and he

recently returned to Orange County to manage the Arroyo Trabuco club.

Del Heintz, vice president of Comcast Cable, served as emcee for

the evening.

His auction talents helped to raise $30,000 for the shelter.

Highlights of the auction included a stay at a Paris, France,

apartment; a Holland America cruise; and beautiful original artwork

by Balboa artists Debra Huse, Steve Simon and Jeff Horn.

Dedicated committee members supporting the evening included Patty

Baer, Angie Brazeal, Amy Braun, Allyson Durkin, Anne La Paglia and

Esther Malapas.

For more information on the work of Mary’s Shelter,district’s

chief business and financial officer please call Mary Blake at

(949)786-1517.

* THE CROWD appears Thursdays and Saturdays.