Chapel donors have a mission in mind

It wasn’t just the swallows returning to San Juan Capistrano. More

than 450 O.C. residents, including a very large contingent of

Newport-Mesa residents, returned to San Juan Capistrano for the 2005

mission gala, Romance of the Serra Chapel.

The Friday evening under the stars raised $133,000, earmarked to

benefit the preservation of the mission’s Serra Chapel. An

extraordinary gift of $250,000 from honorary chair Richard O’Neill

raised the bar to an impressive $383,000.

In Father Junipero Serra’s time, that amount of money would have

been enough to buy California, perhaps the entire West Coast.

The Chapel at Mission San Juan Capistrano is one of the oldest

structures in California. It dates back to the American Revolution.

In fact, at the time the American colonies were celebrating their

independence, Father Serra was establishing his mission in

California.

Mechelle Lawrence, executive director of Mission San Juan

Capistrano, joined Father Art Holquin in welcoming the handsome crowd

for dinner. Joan Irvine Smith was front and center with O’Neill.

Mission board president Tony Moiso and gala coordinator Barb Beier,

with husband Don Beier, greeted the generous assemblage as the

evening commenced with a cocktail reception catered by the

Ritz-Carlton Laguna Niguel.

Spotted in the gala crowd were Myron and Mozelle Sukut and Mission

board members George and Eden O’Connell. Madeline and Jim Swinden and

Russ and Carol Penniman joined Irvine Smith, Laura Davick, and Bette

and Wylie Aitken for the special evening.

The highlight of the event was the performance by Michael

Feinstein. Following cocktails, the crowd was ushered into the Great

Stone Church and seated cheek to cheek in rows of folding wooden

chairs. They were surrounded by centuries-old stone, set in place by

indigenous people who lived in what would become O.C.

Feinstein was brilliant. His interpretation of Gershwin and others

drew in his audience, certainly fulfilling the promise of the evening

... Romance of the Serra Chapel.

After more than two decades in the spotlight, Feinstein has

evolved into a master of both piano and vocal artistry. He has worked

to achieve his success, perfecting, changing and elevating his

performance into what has now become his style, not that of the great

masters he has emulated.

The O.C. audience applauded Feinstein, a four-time Grammy nominee,

and asked for more.

Post-concert guests greeted Feinstein in the Sacred Garden and

then gathered for an alfresco dinner prepared and served by the

Ritz-Carlton. Party planners chose to use elongated tables instead of

the traditional rounds. Guests enjoyed the opportunity to talk to a

larger variety of table partners afforded by the arrangement.

Dinner began with a king crab and avocado cocktail, followed by

tournedos of lotte wrapped in Black Forest ham. A dark chocolate and

chestnut fudge cake was served for dessert.

Major sponsors of the evening, in addition to O’Neill and the

Moisos, were Art and Gaye Birtcher and the O’Connell Family

Foundation.

Also in the crowd were donors Madeline Zuckerman, Rita Snyder

Gunkle, Janet Curci Walsh, Daisy and James Funk, Gavin and Ninetta

Herbert, Mike and Charlene Immell, Edward and Jane Lohrbach, Bill and

Darby Manclark, Bonnie McBean, Kelly and Duane Roberts, Gayle

Widyolar and David Scott, and Irvine family member Anita Ziebe.

* THE CROWD runs Thursdays and Saturdays.