The Crowd: Guests show heart for Mercy House
The Fairmont Hotel in Newport Beach welcomed more than 300 guests wearing their springtime best as they supported the work of Mercy House.
It was a 25th anniversary gala dinner, billed as Living With Heart. The evening raised more than $250,000 net in support of services for Orange County’s homeless.
Since 1990, Mercy House has provided housing and related lifesaving resources to some 65,000 homeless and at-risk individuals in Orange and San Bernardino counties. Founded by The Rev. Jerome Karcher, son of the late legendary O.C. businessman Carl Karcher, Mercy House has become an important advocate for serving the poor.
Karcher joined Mercy House Executive Director Larry Haynes in accepting recognition for their exemplary service to the less fortunate in the community.
The high point of the event was an address by John Weber, who shared his personal journey from homelessness to self-sufficiency.
Guests shared cocktails in the Fairmont’s Bambu lounge while checking out auction items, which ultimately contributed $55,000 to the evening’s financial tally. Dinner was served in the grand ballroom with Bill Rogers (the voice of Disneyland) serving as the evening’s master of ceremonies. Musician Terry Wollman joined songstress Melanie Taylor in entertaining the crowd.
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Standing Up For Culture In Orange County
The Fairmont was also the setting for the annual spring celebration of The Guilds of Segerstrom Center for the Arts.
The April 24 event, billed as A Night of Discovery, raised an impressive $150,000 to support the center’s education programs benefiting O.C. youths.
Some 250 guests converged, paying homage to Guilds Chairman Emeritus Gail Daniels, who was honored with the Georgia Spooner Inspirational Award. Spooner was among the early supporters and activists who were instrumental in building the center into a world-class arts institution.
Co-chaired by Amy Larson and Mary Shebell, the evening welcomed center VIPs including President Terry Dwyer and lead sponsors of the evening, Idit and Moti Ferder of Luguano Diamonds. Also front and center for the annual affair were significant donors Gail and Jim Daniels, Dee and Larry Higby, Susan and Martin Lipman, Pam and Tom Bender, Mary Shebell and Merle McCormick.
The Guilds represents the arts organization’s largest support wing, with 22 chapters recognizing more than 1,000 members throughout Orange County. The members have contributed more than $14 million to center programs since the 1980s, even before the center opened in 1986.
THE CROWD runs Fridays and Saturdays. B.W. Cook is editor of the Bay Window, the official publication of the Balboa Bay Club in Newport Beach.
