The Crowd: Benefit luncheon helps Doheny Eye Institute’s mission to improve human vision
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As the expression goes, “Without health, you have nothing.”
Extrapolating those words to refer to one specific health issue, the importance of sight ranks among the most cherished of human functions.
In Southern California, citizens are fortunate to have the Doheny Eye Institute at the ready and working to preserve, protect and improve human vision. For some 40 years, the Los Angeles-based institute — which also has centers in Fountain Valley, Arcadia and Pasadena — has been the catalyst to groundbreaking research which in turn has translated into procedures that have had remarkable sight-saving results. Such procedures have not only aided local citizens, but in fact have been at the forefront of ophthalmic medicine nationally and internationally.
Recently, a fundraising auxiliary known as the Luminaires, comprised of women from all over Southern California, held its 40th annual benefit luncheon at the California Club in downtown Los Angeles. Benefit co-chairs Fran Biles and Paddy Grant chose a theme of “Passion for Fashion” in celebration of spring, not to mention the sheer joy of color and form the season affords in full bloom. It was enjoyed, and perhaps taken for granted, by those with healthy vision.
More than 250 guests from Los Angeles, Pasadena, Newport Beach and elsewhere converged for an afternoon of fashion and camaraderie marking 40 years of service to the Doheny Eye Institute. Tribute was paid to Luminaires founder Mary Crary, a major social mover and shaker on both the L.A. and Newport scenes.
Judy Kloner, Luminaires president, welcomed the chic crowd and introduced the guest speaker, Dr. SriniVas Sadda, recently appointed president and scientific officer of the Doheny Eye Institute. Sadda had just returned from an international eye conference in Taiwan and he shared with the audience the latest research taking place in the field, with specific emphasis on the work at Doheny.
As the ladies enjoyed a spring luncheon of salad choices, event organizers produced a fashion show featuring designs by New York couturier Emmelle and a selection of garments from L.A.’s Melrose Alley.
Supporting the cause were a large contingent of O.C. women, including Liz Shonk, Barbara Nielsen, Susan Wofford, Winnie Reitnouer, Dee Dee Klunder, Diana Souza, Janet Marangi, Gail Titus, Dawn Stephan and Janice Hahn.
Also backing the Doheny Eye cause and helping to raise funds by shopping at the pop-up boutiques were dedicated Luminaires Diane Thurman, Kandi Wopschall, Mary Cooper, Barbara Heublein, Ann Miller, Connie Van Vorst, Gloria Renwick, Char Acret and Mei Lee Ney, to name only a few.
To learn more about Doheny, visit doheny.org.
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Segerstrom Center remains national center for dance
Among the many international dance programs to grace the boards of the Segerstrom Center for the Arts in Costa Mesa is the Alvin Ailey American Dance Theatre, which recently presented its program to enthusiastic O.C. audiences.
The April run was enormously appreciated by students from the Segerstrom center’s American Ballet Theatre William J. Gillespie School, as well as an organization known as the Wooden Floor, based in Santa Ana. The center provided free tickets to the Alvin Ailey performance as well as the opportunity for the dance students to meet the performers, talk with them and ask questions pertaining to dance training and the all-important subject of career advice. More than 2,400 students from local schools benefited from the experience.
A gala post-performance cast party followed the April 6 show that welcomed O.C. society and gave them a chance to greet the cast of Alvin Ailey. In the crowd were Melanie Ríos Glaser, artistic director at the Wooden Floor, as well as Terry Dwyer, Robert Battle, Aiden Braakman and Samuel Lee Roberts.
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May is National Child Awareness Month
The O.C. can be very proud of its overall commitment to child welfare. Numerous organizations in both the public and private sectors dedicate their efforts to every aspect of protecting children.
Among the most comprehensive agencies is the Festival of Children Foundation, founded by the prominent Newport Beach philanthropist Sandy Segerstrom Daniels. On Monday at the Orange County School of the Arts in Santa Ana, some 200 students came together under the leadership of Daniels to kick off a campaign to recognize National Child Awareness Month via a talent challenge.
The idea was for participants to upload a one-minute video showcasing their unique talents and, most importantly, their commitment to child welfare as linked to specific children’s charities. The videos were uploaded online.
Students were requested to invite at least two friends to join in their video pursuit of supporting children’s causes. Festival of Children organizers will award $65,000 to various charities showcased in the video challenge, which began Monday and runs through Sept. 30.
To learn more, go to FestivalofChildren.org.
B.W. COOK is editor of the Bay Window, the official publication of the Balboa Bay Club in Newport Beach.
