330 Guests Help YWCA Celebrate Excellence

When the South Orange County YWCA held its “Celebrate Excellence” awards dinner at the Irvine Hilton recently, 330 guests were on hand to applaud nine women chosen for outstanding work in their professional fields.

Sheila P. Sonenshine, presiding judge of the 4th District Court of Appeal, called the gathering a “Who’s Who” of Orange County women.

Sonenshine presented the religion award to Hinda Beral, director of the American Jewish Committee in Orange County.

Jean Aldrich, wife of former UC Irvine Chancellor Daniel G. Aldrich Jr., flew in from Santa Barbara to present the fine arts award to Elaine Redfield, a longtime arts supporter.

Grayce Roessler presented Dr. Deborah Stewart of UCI with the award in medicine. “We’re all in the same family,” Roessler said. “She’s a doctor, I’m a nurse.” Stewart, who specializes in adolescent medicine at UCI, was cited for her work with sexually abused children.

In the law category, Judge Betty Lou Lamoreaux--presiding judge of the county Juvenile Court--presented the award to Judge Pamela Lee Iles of South Municipal Court.

According to Jackie Ross, president of the YWCA board of directors, honorees are chosen by Y board members and past recipients. “We look for women who are exceptional in their field,” Ross said, “people who have really contributed to the community.”

Former winner Harriette Witmer, chief executive of Deepwater Chemical Co., said the awards provide role models for young women. “That’s what the ‘Y’ is all about. The real purpose is to help young women. The ‘Y’ stands for young.”

Witmer presented the business award to Betsy Sanders, vice president and general manager of 15 Nordstrom department stores in Southern California.

Awards also went to Carla Espinoza, assistant vice chancellor at UCI, education; Mary Jones of the Orange County Protocol Office, government; Helen Cameron, president of the Irvine Unified School District, community service, and Orange County Register reporter Laura Saari, media.

Presenters included Lydia Ledesma of UCI; KOCE-TV community relations director Jo Caines; Supt. A. Stanley Corey of the Irvine Unified School District and Orange County Register Editor N. Christian Anderson.

With guests paying $50 per person, YWCA Executive Director Mary Douglas estimated benefit proceeds at $7,000. Jackie Ross presented Douglas with a special certificate of appreciation.

Committee members included Arlene Sontag, Peggy Reinert, Marjorie Fluor, Judy Mayer and Stephanie Spoerl. Mary Godinez was event chairman.

The Jewel Court area of South Coast Plaza became a gambling palace on Saturday when the guilds of Casa Teresa staged “Casino de Casa.” The two groups--Founders Guild and Central Guild--raise funds for Casa Teresa, a home in Orange for single mothers.

At $50 per person, 350 guests tested their luck at the black-tie affair, bringing in an estimated $20,000.

Francine Busby, president of the Central Guild, said Casa Teresa provides a temporary home for pregnant single women, age 18 to 25, who have nowhere else to go.

Founders Guild president Barbara Johnson recalled one young woman who had been living in trucks. “She was hitchhiking rides with truck drivers across the country,” said Johnson.

Sally and Neill Sullivan founded the home 10 years ago, they said, because there were no shelters for pregnant, single women over 18. “There were homes for girls under 18,” said Sally, “and after age 25 they seem to work out problems independently. But the group in between had nothing.”

Casa Teresa gives the women a temporary home, psychological support and career counseling. Merrill Plou served as event chairman. Committee members included Jeni Alexander, Mary Margaret Finster, Mary Frome, Kim Giblin, Carol Gregory, Linda Horton, Jean Keating, Karin Lempke, Marilynn Pells, Lynda Perry, Sue Redfern, Linda Smith, Teresa Tanner, Jan Todd and Dorothy Zurcher.

A 16-year tradition was continued Sunday when the Founders Auxiliary of the Providence Speech and Hearing Center served up “Auction Unlimited” at the Anaheim Marriott. Supporter Eileen Lynch said she believes that the auxiliary’s 1971 event was the first charity auction in the county. “(Over the years) other charities would come, take a program and then have an auction of their own,” she said. “Now we’re sorry we didn’t patent the idea.

“We made $2,700 at our first auction and thought we’d died and gone to heaven. Before then, it would take us all year to make that.”

With 350 guests bidding on such items as a hobby horse for adults, event organizers estimated proceeds of $25,000.

“That hobby horse was a gift from heaven,” said co-chairman Francine Mauck, of the horse that fetched $600.

Proceeds benefit the Providence center for children with communications disorders. Center director and founder Margaret Anne Inman said the disorders sometimes result from hearing impairments but causes often are unknown.

Inman first recognized the disorder 21 years ago, she said, when she was a high school teacher. “I knew that (certain students) had potential, but they couldn’t follow directions, and they were reading at a first-grade level.”

Added Sharon Ballidis, the center’s director of development: “Sometimes the children are written off as mentally retarded. But that’s not the case. They can be helped.”

Betty Prizio, auxiliary president and event co-chairman, said her 3-year-old grandson had the disorder. “He had no physical problems, but he wouldn’t talk.” Since he enrolled at Providence last December, she said, he’s begun to talk in sentences.

Barbara Martin said her 4-year-old son, Mick, who suffers from a hearing impairment, has developed excellent communication skills because of the center. Martin said he recently sang “Happy Birthday” to his aunt by telephone. “He was in tune, too.”