The Crowd: No Scrooges at Christmas Carol Ball

Our very own community treasure and lifesaver, Hoag Hospital, welcomed more than 500 local citizens to its 46th annual Christmas Carol Ball.

Produced by the Hoag Hospital Foundation, the gala unfolded Dec. 6 at the St. Regis Monarch Beach Resort, raising a very impressive $850,000 for the hospital. Funds will support multiple needs, including research projects, education for staff and patient support services.

Community activist Roger Kirwan of Newport Coast chaired the evening with his elegant bride, Tracy, welcoming a local who’s-who crowd of support. Among the generous were Scott Pollard, Sandi and Ron Simon, Edward Fedishon, Margaret and Tom Larkin, Suki and Randy McCardle, Faiborz Maseeh and the Tsoong family.

Also supporting Hoag were James and Viki Coufos, Maralou and Jerry Harrington, Byron and Ronnie Allumbaugh, Shanaz and Jack Langson, Preston Minor, Marie Gray, Susan and Tim Strader Sr., Carol and Kent Wilken and Justice Sheila and Ygal Sonenshine.

As tradition dictates, Nora Jorgenson Johnson of Newport Beach opened the evening with a heartfelt invocation. A performance by the All American Boys Chorus set the holiday mood, as an elegant Christmas dinner was prepared and served by executive chef Frederic Castan. The crowd danced until the Cinderella hour to the music of NRG.

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It’s all about heart

Alfredo Molina jetted in from Scottsdale on Dec. 3 to join Renee Dee in hosting a holiday pre-event celebration benefitting the American Heart Assn. in anticipation of the Orange County Heart Ball, set for May 9.

Molina is the owner and chairman of the posh Black Starr & Frost jewelry company, which opened its formidable bayside doors to some 50 VIP guests enjoying afternoon cocktails and hors d’oeuvres provided by Fig & Olive. American Heart Assn. Executive Director Melissa Morales joined the BS & F execs, welcoming guests including local business and social leaders, medical professionals and philanthropists. The 2015 Heart Ball will unfold at the Ritz-Carlton Hotel, Laguna Niguel.

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Fabulous food and amazing music

The folks at Ocean Institute are preparing for the 13th annual jazz festival, set for Jan. 23 through 25 at the Dana Point facility.

The big Saturday evening event is built around a gourmet dinner prepared and served by some of the O.C.’s star chefs. Frederic Castan of the St. Regis Monarch Beach Resort joins Pierre Albaladejo of the Park Hyatt Aviara, Pedro Contreras of the Ritz-Carlton, Vincent Lesage of the Balboa Bay Resort, Thomas Trevethan of the Marriott Laguna Cliffs and Rob Wilson of Montage Laguna Beach for the Saturday night feast and jazz concert. An encore event follows Jan. 25. For ticket information and reservations, go to https://www.oijazzfestival.com.

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Children are the future

The O.C. Festival of Children, under the guidance of founder Sandy Segerstrom Daniels, brought together 10 local nonprofits in September for a fundraiser billed as “The Carousel of Possible Dreams.” Now the figures are in.

At Disneyland Park’s King Arthur Carousel, some 200 volunteers raised $246,195 for organizations held dear in the O.C., including Boys & Girls Club of Anaheim, Child Guidance Center, Down Syndrome Assn. of Orange County, Festival of Children Foundation, Girl Scouts of Orange County, Healthy Smiles for Kids of Orange County, Orange Children & Parents Together, Orange County School of the Arts, Project Hope Alliance and Talk About Curing Autism (TACA).

Jill Bolton, director of corporate citizenship for the Disneyland Resort, commented, “Disneyland is the place where dreams come true every day. We are honored to host this program, which aligns with our focus on promoting the happiness and well being of kids and families.”

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Hope can help lead to a cure

The City of Hope will present its inaugural Orange County gala Feb. 28 at the Island Hotel in Newport Beach. Organizers are billing the black-tie evening as “Let’s Be Frank About Cancer.”

The party will pay homage to two exceptional O.C. citizens, Frank DiBella and Sumantra Pat, for their dedication to the City of Hope, a cancer research hospital. World-renowned comedian, actor and philanthropist Jerry Lewis will also be on hand. Call Jaime Byrne at (213) 446-5632 for reservations and information.

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A party you won’t want to miss

If you are tired of the same old holiday entertainment, here is something that might give you a holiday lift.

Off-Broadway’s wild and crazy “Dixie’s Tupperware Party” opened Dec. 9 at the Segerstrom Center for the Arts’ Samueli Theater. The day after Christmas, “Dixie” will celebrate a 1,000th-performance party honoring its seventh year on a national tour. The show will run through Jan. 4 with a special New Year’s Eve performance.

The show revolves around a character named Dixie Longate, a fast-talking Tupperware lady who has left her children behind in an Alabama trailer park to travel across America and become the nation’s No. 1 Tupperware salesperson. The show was written by Kris Andersson. Tickets are $49 and up and are available online at https://www.scfta.org or by calling (714) 556-2787.

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