THE CROWD:

Santa Claus anta Claus came to the Ritz Restaurant last Saturday for lunch with a bunch of very big girls and boys. It was Christmas at the Ritz presented by the Fashionable Women of Chapman University. This 22nd annual holiday gathering was chaired by Newport’s lovely Kathy Hamilton with major support from Fashionables’ President Charlene Prager and a committee that included society ringleader Donna Bunce, Donna Bianchi, Rusty Hood, Sue Hook, Carol Lee, and the angelic platinum blond Nora Johnson. Also dedicated to the Chapman cause were Adrienne Brennan, Marci Hollander, Christine Sullivan, Barbara Eidson, Joanne Jurczyk, and Anne Manassero.

This major holiday luncheon began with a cocktail reception in the Ritz Garden that was virtually shoulder to shoulder with patrons all dressed in their Christmas finest.

The reception was actually an opportunity for a small army of ticket sellers that included Chapman alumni, supporters, board members, faculty, and well-meaning students attired in red blazers to reach out to the crowd and raise thousands of dollars.

Lunch was served in the dining room as every table was filled to capacity. The crowd enjoyed the famous Ritz mushroom cappuccino soup and an entree of filet mignon as the opportunity prize winners were drawn and an amazing lineup of donated gifts were presented to the lucky winners.

Chapman University President Jim Doti addressed the dining room spreading good cheer and offering heartfelt thanks for the generosity of the overflow crowd.

Since its founding in 1971, the Fashionable Women have raised more than $2 million for Chapman University and have recently completed a $1-million capital pledge benefiting the Marion Knott Studios within the Dodge College of Film and Media Arts.

During the festive luncheon, models paraded the Ritz displaying fall and winter fashions for both men and women provided and underwritten by Saks Fifth Avenue at South Coast Plaza. The much-admired Saks Vice President and General Manager Gretchen Pace was front and center with husband Mark Pace greeting many customers and friends.

Saks donated a table favor for all 350 guests in attendance. The little black-and-white gift bag at each place setting contained a gift certificate for $100, donating $35,000 to Chapman. Not a bad little Christmas stocking stuffer.

In addition to Saks, major donors underwriting the event were a “who’s who” of Orange County society and Chapman support. The grand patrons of the luncheon were Marybelle and S. Paul Musco. Joining the Muscos was honorary chair Shelly Wankier Hupp, along with Dorothy and Don Kennedy, Noel and Kathy Hamilton, representing Wells Fargo Private Bank, Sandra Brodie and Donna and Dave Janes to name only a few.

Spotted in the crowd were Alison and Kimo McCormick escorting Alison’s beautiful mother Marion Pickens, Linda Beale, Dawn Washer, Lula Halfacre and daughter Natalie Halfacre, a Chapman grad, Carole Follman, Barbara Bowie, Mary Roosevelt, Fritzi Williams, Annie Foster Freedland, Richard and Lauren Moriarty, Loretta Haugen, Twyla Martin, Joan Riach, and Marilyn Severson.

THE CROWD runs Thursdays and Saturdays.