The Crowd:

Fridge was there. Mallory was there too. Fridge happens to be a 250-plus-pound goat, and Mallory is a mallard duck that doesn’t like people. Can you blame her? After all, some of the nicest people are animals.

Fridge, Mallory and the rest of the gang, including a whole bunch of “Funky Monkeys,” turned out for the 2009 Zoofari Gala at the Santa Ana Zoo.

There were a few humans there as well, brought together by chairs of the evening Sandy Segerstrom Daniels and KOCE television anchor Ed Arnold.

The executive director of the Friends of the Santa Ana Zoo, Cathi Decker, joined the president of the zoo support group, Jon Ribble, in welcoming the crowd for an evening of childlike fantasy under the stars. By the end of the evening, $70,000 had been raised earmarked to construct a kitchen for Fridge, Mallory and the rest of the animals.

The existing kitchen was built in 1952 and is in desperate need of an upgrade. The new kitchen will include a fresh fruit and yogurt dispensary as well as microwaveable snacks available for 4 p.m. tea time. At least, that is what Fridge was telling the patrons. Who believes a 250-pound goat? Or a 250-pound society reporter, for that matter.

The evening honored special guests and longtime zoo supporters, including Lana Chandler, along with members of the Santa Ana Elks Lodge No. 794. Also honored was the Del Oro Pacific Modular Railroad, represented by Paul MacFarland.

The beautiful actress Tippi Hedren, well known for her animal rights activism, was once again front and center for the zoo gala.

Major underwriting for the evening came from Tom and Debbie Newmeyer, Del and Carole Stagg, Mildred and Gary Andreini, Roseanne and Richard Bye, Joseph and Melissa Delu, Caroline Lane, Michael and Robin Einbund, Peggy Baldwin-Butler, and John and Sandy Segerstrom Daniels, to name only a few.

Dinner was served under the stars featuring a pecan-crusted chicken entrée and fabulous side dishes prepared and served by caterer Panache. Chuck Dwyer handled the auction duties.

Donors spotted in the crowd included Pam Selber, Cathy and Curtis Farrell, Donel and Bill Wiles, Laura and Brian Thompson, Donna and Roger Swift, Judy Fluor-Runels and Mark Harrison.

Chapman University in Orange welcomed Sen. George McGovern earlier this week to present Chapman’s 2009 Albert Schweitzer Award. It is the university’s highest humanitarian award for service, and this year, it was bestowed upon Dr. Anthony Garcia-Prats, representing the Baylor International Pediatric AIDS Initiative for its work in helping afflicted children in Tanzania and Lesotho, Africa.

The honors took place at Chapman’s Hutton Sports Center as part of the university’s opening convocation Wednesday, marking the commencement of the 2009-10 academic year.

Following the ceremony, McGovern held a public conference, discussing his positions on national health care as well as the ongoing struggle in the Middle East and other pressing topics.

He also introduced the assemblage to his new book, simply titled “Abraham Lincoln,” and signed copies of his work.

The Orangewood Children’s Foundation benefited this week from the Eric Pepys Memorial Golf Tournament at Santa Ana Country Club.

The outing on the greens welcomed golfers of all ages and backgrounds in memory of Pepys, a longtime resident of Balboa Island.

Organizers proudly declared that the golf tournament celebrated two of Eric’s great loves, “kids and golf.”

Eric’s widow, Shirley Pepys, a local philanthropist and active Orangewood sponsor, welcomed a full roster of guests following play for a dinner celebration in the Santa Ana Country Club dining room.

THE CROWD runs Thursdays and Saturdays.