Hospital Group’s Benefit Tea in Fashion

Those nice people who present the Portuguese Bend Horse Show each September--the Peninsula Committee of the Childrens Hospital--are taking tea. The high point of the Wednesday afternoon soiree at Bullocks Wilshire Palos Verdes will be the presentation of designer Marie St. John Gray’s fall collection.

“This is a rare appearance for Ms. Gray,” said Mrs. Donald L. Hanley, president of the committee. “We feel so privileged that she is presenting her collection for our benefit.”

Among those expected for the affair are Mrs. David Hoods, Mrs. James Gamble, Mrs. Michael Gleason, Mrs. Alexander Detrick, Mrs. Wally Durham, Mrs. George Scharffenberger, Mrs. Robert Volk, Mrs. Bruce Juell, Mrs. Harold Murdock Jr., Mrs. Chadwick Smith, Mrs. Richard Butler, Mrs. Carl Ghormley, Mrs. Edgar Gillenwaters, Mrs. Stephen Hinchliffe Jr., Mrs. Ben Kazarian Jr., Mrs. Neil Kennedy, Mrs. Richard Learned, Mrs. John Link and Mrs. Donald Reithner.

Aspen is “Puttin’ On the Ritz.” Last year’s gala weekend was so much fun and such a success that Les Dames d’Aspen Ltd. will stage another splashy, glitzy, glamorous affair July 26. The key event is a black-tie dinner dance and a 10-item auction. The latter includes two weeks at St. Jean Cap Ferrat in the south of France, a catered dinner for 24 with flowers and wine, two weeks in Acapulco and six weeks in Aspen. The idea is to raise money for the Aspen Art Museum, Grassroots TV (a local television station) and scholarships for art and ballet students. Profits should be huge, because tickets for the event at the Snowmass Conference Center range from $250 to $5,000. (Gold sponsors are those who purchase eight tickets.)

Former Angeleno Lita Warner Heller is adviser to the Les Dames board. Christine Aubale Gerschel is president, and working with her are Joan Bracken Bain, Holly Jean Crawford, Renee Deutsch, Becky Dumeresque, Anne Austin, Caroline Christensen, Sharon Costa de Beauregard, Linda Cotton and Karren de Gorricho.

Las Patronas Auxiliary members of the Assistance League of Ventura County and its chairwoman, Sally Grether, are still glowing over the success of the 29th annual presentation ball in the Grand Ballroom of the Westlake Plaza. Virginia Gould headed the ball, assisted by Dixie Bear. Carlisle Barringer announced the debutantes, who wore the traditional white ball gowns and carried fans decorated with white flowers and ribbons.

Now juggling summer jobs and a bit of sun are Meredith Breyer, Margo Lee Harvey, Michelle Harvey, Kristi Kellogg and Wendy Ouwendijk, all of Camarillo; Karen Burdullis of Oxnard; Cathleen Collins, Amy Fausset, Kristina Giordano, Kathryn McKinzie, Michele Melonas, Lee Anne Merewether, Melinda Muegenburg and Diana Sussman, all of Ventura; and Jeanne Orcutt of Santa Paula.

Las Patronas met recently at the home of vice chairwoman Cathy Barringer to recapitulate; last year, members raised $40,000 from the ball to support an Oxnard school for those with learning disorders, a girls’ club and a teen club in Ventura.

The activity at Mickey Lane and Dopey Drive at Walt Disney Studios was truly a family affair. It all revolved around an afternoon screening of “The Great Mouse Detective” to benefit the National Kidney Foundation of Southern California. Co-chairwoman Connie Frank sent her son Paul, a Northwestern film major, out to pick up 60 pounds of hot dogs for the crowd. Husband Richard Frank, president of Walt Disney Studios, kept an eye on the cels of Professor Ratigan, Basil, Dawson, Olivia and Fidget (stars in the animated film about mouse detective Basil’s escapades to snare the evil Professor) in the silent bidding while son Darryl ran errands. Also on the welcoming side were president Fritzi Rivin and co-chairman John Golisch, dispensing lots of popcorn and soft drinks.

Summertime is advantage time for Pacific Asia Museum and its Festival of the Autumn Moon committee. Though the art auction and benefit headed by April Riddle isn’t until Oct. 11, Dr. and Mrs. Calvin H. Frazier will be hosting a cocktail reception on their terrace in Flintridge next Sunday to preview items.

Constance Towers receives the Los Angeles Council of the Boy Scouts’ Crystal Award on July 24 at a black-tie gala at the Century Plaza, recognizing her humanitarian work after September’s devastating Mexico City earthquake. Nadine Watt receives a Crystal, too.

Attire is French. Location is Le Bordeaux restaurant in Marina del Rey. The day is Monday, and, of course, that means Bastille Day will be inspiring Jackie Applebaum and Travis Kleefeld at a French celebration dinner that evening.

Kudos:

To Betty J. Reddin, chairman of the Natural History Museum Alliance Board, heading 16,000 members. She’s been an Alliance devotee 16 years, helping launch and co-chair the Dinosaur Ball. . . .

To Jerry Lewis, re-elected national chairman of the Muscular Dystrophy Assn. at the annual meeting in Las Vegas. He turns immediately to the Jerry Lewis 21 1/2-hour Labor Day Telethon to be broadcast live for the fifth consecutive year from Caesars Palace in Las Vegas. It airs at 9 p.m. Aug. 31, according to telethon co-executive producer Robert Ross. More than $33 million was pledged during last year’s telethon. . . .

To Tim Viole, president of the Hollywood USO-Los Angeles Area board. Others named were Andrew Manley, executive vice president; Mary Levin Cutler, Jack Doody, Henry Kahn and Wilbert D. Fisher, vice presidents; Richard Gomez, secretary; Bennett Dolin, treasurer; and David N. Clyde and Bradley Tabach-Bank, legal counsels. . . .

To First Lady Nancy Reagan, who accepted the honorary chairmanship of Variety Children’s Lifeline at a White House ceremony. Chairman Salah M. Hassanein and Joseph Sinay, president of Variety Clubs International, presented the honor. Lifeline, formed five years ago, has provided open-heart surgery for more than 600 poor children from 50 countries. . . .

To Marjorie Kolliner, named president of the Braille Institute Auxiliary, at the June meeting at Descanso Gardens. Rosella Knox and Cynthia Poindexter also will serve. . . .

To Elias T. Lefferman, new director of community services at Vista Del Mar Child-Care Service.

Past Perfect:

One hundred years ago Bernath Rosin migrated to Southern California, wound up on Catalina Island and became something of a legend. To memorialize him, about 70 descendants representing five generations gathered recently in Avalon. Sparking the memory was attorney Chester Lappen and his brother-in-law, Stanley Rosin, 76, a pioneer hotelier (the Highland Springs resort outside Banning) and the only surviving son of Bernath. Relatives congregated in Lappen and Rosin homes, then met for a family picnic on the grounds of the former St. Catherine’s Hotel. For the occasion, sculptor Stanley Rosin created a bronze version of the familiar old seal that used to roam Avalon Bay, and, ‘tis said, nuzzled swimmers and even came on shore to pose for pictures with tourists. He was called Old Ben. Oddly enough, Robert B. Wolcott Jr. points out, that is what the Rosins called their patriarch. . . .

St. Elizabeth Day Nursery marked the 79th anniversary of its founding with a dinner party at Gilmore Adobe. Among supporters were Mrs. George William Alfs, Mrs. Thomas L. Brennan, Mrs. Henry I. Dockweiler, Mrs. J. James Bernard, Mrs. Lewis Reese, Mrs. John Challiss and Mrs. Thomas Moffat. . . .

John and Bonnie Green entertained in the garden of their Beverly Hills home to benefit Animal Alliance, an organization for homeless animals. . . .

Le Lycee Francais de Los Angeles celebrated its 21st annual commencement festivities with a candlelight dinner hosted by Lycee founders Raymond and Esther Kabbaz. Among guests were the Leo Deducs, the Robert Brookses and Peter Jorgenson.