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The Crowd: A ‘masterpiece’ in the making

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The power of a few passionate people with a singular purpose remains a constant reminder that men can move mountains when so motivated.

Sometimes it does not take a village, but rather the leadership of some enlightened citizens intent on making a positive difference in society.

So it was last week, on a chilly Feb. 23 evening on the Balboa Peninsula, when some 40 local citizens, who believe strongly in the value of public television, came together for a light supper at the oceanfront residence of Bette and Wylie Aitken. They raised an impressive $200,000 in initial underwriting in support of PBS SoCal’s annual fundraising gala.

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The event is set for May 5, and organizers are calling the annual party the “Masterpiece Ball.” This season the gala will unfold in the Atlantic Aviation Hangar at John Wayne Airport.

PBS SoCal President and Chief Executive Mel Rogers, attending the Aitkens’ salon with his wife Marcia, led the charge with a call to action, which inspired the folks sipping pinot noir and sampling seafood delicacies provided by the Bluewater Grill to step up and donate.

Rogers shared with the crowd some basic facts pertaining to the value of PBS SoCal, specifically pointing out that the television outlet is a vital educational tool for community preschoolers, reaching millions of children daily.

In addition, PBS SoCal, formerly KOCE-TV, includes broadcast channels reaching the greater Los Angeles and Orange County region. It provides programs including “Masterpiece,” for which this year’s gala is named, all with the goal of “entertaining, educating, and enlightening” viewers.

Rogers told the gathering that raising the funds was more crucial this year than ever given the state of the economy and the need to provide quality programming to such a large and important sector of the American landscape.

Responding to the Rogers call to action were PBS SoCal trustees and board members, including Dr. Jo Ellen Chatham, director of public affairs for Southern California Edison, O.C. philanthropists Mary Lyons, Kelly Mazzo and Helen Hernandez. Jim McCluney, chief executive of Emulex Corp., joined Ardelle St. George, co-chair of the upcoming gala and general counsel to PBS SoCal, in assisting Rogers with the fundraising effort.

Also front and center were PBS SoCal on-camera personalities, including anchors Ed Arnold, Ann Pulice, Maria Hall-Brown and Rick Reiff. Corporate underwriters lending support included executives from Union Bank and Wells Fargo, represented by Noel Hamilton and his charming wife Kathy.

To learn more about the May 5 gala, go to https://www.pbssocal.org/events/gala12.php.

THE CROWD runs Thursdays and Saturdays. B.W. Cook is editor of the Bay Window, the official publication of the Balboa Bay Club in Newport Beach.

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