Casual, comfortable clambake

B.W. COOK

If you’ve been looking for an avenue to get involved with a worthy

local cause without mortgaging your home just to buy the right outfit

to wear to the charity ball, consider supporting the Children’s

Bureau of Orange County at its upcoming 2005 clambake.

Actually, it’s called the Crean’s Clambake because it was started

by the O.C.’s most generous Donna and John Crean.

The Children’s Bureau is a child welfare agency -- the oldest in

Southern California -- opened about 100 years ago in Los Angeles. For

most of the 20th century, it was primarily an adoption agency.

Societal changes have necessitated a shift toward child welfare,

abuse protection and social services beyond placement.

Donna Crean brought the agency to Orange County some decade ago,

and the upcoming clambake -- set for June 11 at the Hyatt Newporter

in Newport Beach -- is all about raising money to help local children

in need.

The event takes place around the pool. It’s casual, comfortable

and the lobster buffet is superb. There are a few tables left and

organizers promise an evening of fun, food and friendship under the

Newport stars. Tickets are $150 per person. Call the Children’s

Bureau at (714) 517-1900, Ext. 213, for reservations.

Newport Beach’s Barbara Nielsen joined prominent and charitable

SoCal women for the 30th annual spring benefit for the Luminaires, a

fundraising arm of the respected Doheny Eye Institute.

Founded in 1947 by Mrs. Edward L. Doheny, the institute became

affiliated with the University of Southern California. A half century

later, it is a major center for eye research, education, and patient

care.

The afternoon at the Ritz-Carlton Hotel in Pasadena raised more

than $100,000, and was co-chaired by Gail Boskovich and Libby de

Juan. Nielsen coordinated the fashion show, billed as “Traveling In

Style,” featuring clothing from designers around the world.

Newport and L.A. gals who supported the cause included Betty Ann

Brooks, Bobbie Galpin, Cinda Hoeven, Caroline Kinkle, Mary Lane,

Ollie Lynn and Susan Wofford.

Popular upscale clothier Gary’s of Fashion Island stepped up to

the plate for the Leukemia & Lymphoma Society, hosting an in-store

cocktail reception for some 300 well-dressed guests who helped raise

$50,000 to fight cancer.

The upbeat evening featured local music legend Bill Medley of the

Righteous Brothers, who sang “You’ve Lost That Loving Feeling” to the

delight of the crowd. Medley was then joined by his daughter McKenna

to perform a duet, “I Had The Time Of My Life.”

Gary’s marketing director Michelle Roeder recently lost her dad

Richard Roeder, also a fashion and retail executive, and the evening

was dedicated to his loving memory. Additional sponsorship came from

Cole Haan, David Wilhelm’s Culinary Adventures and Rodnik Vodka.

* THE CROWD appears Thursdays and Saturdays.