Local News in Brief : South County : 10 Women, 1 Man to Be Honored by YWCA

Ten women will be honored today by the YWCA of South Orange County for their achievements in such fields as the arts, education, medicine, community service and world peace.

In addition, the YWCA will present its first “Y’s Guy” award to honor a man who has helped promote the causes and concerns of women. The awards will be bestowed after a 7 p.m. dinner at the Irvine Hilton.

The Achievement of Excellence awards will go to:

Virginia McDermott, a vice president at Allergan Inc. in Irvine, for business; Marjorie Caserio, UC Irvine chemistry professor, for education; Superior Court Judge Judith M. Ryan for law; Ruth Ding, a supporter of the Orange County Performing Arts Center, for the arts, and Santa Ana Councilwoman Patricia A. McGuigan for government.

The Achievement of Excellence awards also will go to:

Dr. Quynh Kieu, an obstetrician-gynecologist in the Asian community who has been an advocate for women’s and children’s health care, for medicine; free-lance writer Vida Dean, retired Daily Pilot columnist, for communications; Sister Carmen Serati, an advocate for low-income and disadvantaged people, for religion; Gwenda Watson, an activist with the YWCA, the March of Dimes and other organizations, for distinguished community service, and Lyn Harris Hicks of San Clemente, a community activist, for world peace.

Harry G. Bubb, president of Pacific Mutual Life Insurance Co., will be presented the first “Y’s Guy” award, which will be given annually to “the man who has demonstrated outstanding support for the YWCA’s efforts to bring community awareness of the significant role and resources that women continue to provide to the community of Orange County,” said Mary Douglas, the YWCA’s executive director.

She said that Bubb is being honored for Pacific Mutual’s support of the YWCA’s centennial project, which is a traveling history exhibit featuring 30 women who distinguished themselves during the county’s 100 years.

People interested in attending the awards event should call (714) 542-3577.