Palsy Chapter Honors Stars of Fund Drive

The United Cerebral Palsy Assn. of Orange County gave a thank-you luncheon at the Meridien Hotel in Newport Beach last week to honor those who helped make the charity’s recent “Weekend With the Stars” telethon a success.

“There’s $200,000 represented in this room,” said Doreen Pirro, the association’s development manager, referring to the 40 business leaders who accepted the charity’s appreciation over cream of mushroom soup, mustard chicken and French cheesecake. Each had raised at least $2,000--some in unusual ways.

Attorney David Baker raised money by losing weight. Before last Bastille Day’s annual 8-kilometer run, he urged people to make donations and at the same time guess his final weight by race day. A weekend trip was the grand prize. Baker lost 33 pounds and the association gained $8,000.

Dream Dates

Candy Stroschein, Yvonne Alaniz and Clancy Blair prompted high school girls to raise funds by offering “lifeguard dream dates” as prizes. The girls’ efforts resulted in a net of $9,000. Blair also got Byron Allumbaugh--board chairman of Ralphs Grocery Co.--to contribute $27,500 to the cause.

Barry Roberson, vice president of Chubb Insurance, raised $30,000. He also persuaded other businessmen to join the campaign.

Mel Jaffee, president of National Lumber & Supply, gave both time and money. He held a fund-raiser at his Newport Beach home and encouraged employee contributions. Jaffee’s efforts brought $75,000 to the telethon.

This year, local money raised from the telethon will benefit the new Jaffee Infant Care Center, to open in Santa Ana this spring. The center is vital, Pirro said, because developmentally disabled children must be reached at a young age if they are to grow to their full potential. “If they don’t walk at the right milestone, talk at the right milestone or roll over at the right milestone, very often they can (still) be worked with. If the problem is cerebral palsy, they cannot be cured, but the effects can be minimized with physical therapy, speech therapy and occupational therapy.”

Produced Documentary

Cerebral palsy victim Tom Ritter, keynote speaker at the luncheon, has a law degree and is host on “Weekend Gallery,” a public affairs television show. He recently produced a documentary about actors with disabilities in which he was a co-host with his brother, actor John Ritter.

At the podium, Ritter quipped: “You did the second-best thing by getting involved with cerebral palsy. The best would be to make your check out to Tom Ritter.”

Lunch guests also included John Howhannesian of Sunset Property Enterprises, Ron Jackson of Jackson and D’Asaro Insurance, Elliotte Boggus, president of the association board and dean of the Rancho Santiago Community College District, and Bernard Jacoupy, general manager of the Meridien Hotel.