College to Honor 5 Women for Achievements

Five women will he honored as Outstanding Women in South Orange County at a dinner on Friday sponsored by Saddleback College. The event will be from 5 to 9:30 p.m. in the college cafeteria, Marguerite Parkway, Mission Viejo.

The women and the categories in which they will receive awards are: - Mary Scialli, community and public service. Scialli has been a volunteer with the American Cancer Society for the past 15 years and has spoken hundreds of times to schoolchildren about the dangers of smoking. Scialli, who had to learn to talk again after her larynx was surgically removed in 1971 because of throat cancer, counsels others who have undergone laryngectomies.

- Catherine Moore Richter, career achievement. Richter, 98, is an author and artist. Her recent works include the publication last year of a collection of her drawings, “Laguna Beach Sovenire! Coloring Book,” and the 1985 publication of the children’s story “A Leprechaun.”

- Vivian Clecak, excellence for women. Clecak is a founder and executive director for Human Options, which operates a shelter and provides counseling for battered women and their children in south county. She also is a marriage and family counselor in Mission Viejo and teaches at UC Irvine.

- Alma Vanasse, Saddleback College staff achievement. Vanasse is a career counselor at Saddleback’s Women’s and Adult Opportunity Center. She also is a women’s studies instructor at Saddleback.

- Margaret Ferron, Saddleback College student achievement. Ferron is a Dean’s List student and has served as a volunteer surgical assistant, teacher’s aide and been a fund-raiser for cancer and muscular dystrophy prevention.