The crowd of 530 guests attending “Holiday...

The crowd of 530 guests attending “Holiday Happenings,” a fund-raising event for the Les Petites Fleurs Auxiliary (Laguna Niguel) of Children’s Home Society, was called a “sell-out” success by co-chairs of the event, Karen Holgate and Mary Faulkner.

They were more than pleased with the mid-morning champagne brunch that highlighted a Nordstrom “fashion extravaganza” and netted $16,000 for CHS projects.

Marilyn Cavanaugh, president of the auxiliary, opened the program but promptly turned it over to Holgate.

Holgate read a “success” letter written by Dorothy Fitzgerald, CHS regional director of volunteer services, southern region.

The letter told of the difficult task of finding a home for “Teddy,” an 11-month-old boy brought to CHS for adoption. It was a difficult placement because the child was diagnosed as having “elephant man’s disease,” a rare disorder.

After a social worker found a local support group in Orange County (the only one in the country), the search began for adoptive parents who were eventually found in San Diego.

“As you can see,” said Cavanaugh, “many months of work were involved, and services will continue for a long time. This is where your money goes.”

A luncheon guest, Eileen Brooks, told of her association with CHS.

Brooks, a teacher in the teen parent program in the El Rancho Unified School District, said that “pregnancy among 12- and 13-year-olds is on the rise.”

Describing her program as “babies teaching babies,” she said, “about 95% of the unwed teens want to keep their babies. After they make that decision, they find out how difficult it is to raise them. We direct them to CHS for adoption and counseling services.”

Following the meal served by white-gloved waiters, 25 models, wearing holiday fashions for men and women, paraded quickly in a 30-minute show.