Benefit-Goers Show How the West Was Worn

About 700 rhinestone cowboys and cowgirls in their flashiest Western attire caught the spirit of the Wild West on Friday during a hoedown at Knott’s Berry Farm.

Knott’s staged the “Wild West Spectacular” dinner-dance on behalf of the Olive Crest Abused Children’s Foundation. The $75-per-person gala was expected to raise about $50,000 for the Anaheim-based Olive Crest Treatment Centers for Abused Children.

Urban Cowboys

Orange County’s interpretation of Western attire called for plenty of sexy black leather, stretch lace and Lycra mixed with traditional blue jeans.

“It’s so hard to find fun, sexy Western attire,” said guest Tina Schafnitz. But she managed--wowing party-goers in an all-black cowgirl outfit with gold-studded leather gauchos (over stretch leggings) and a rhinestone-studded cowboy hat.

Virginia Knott Bender, foundation trustee and daughter of the amusement park’s founders, wore a black tuxedo jacket decorated with fabric appliques, beads and buttons.

“I like a Western theme,” she said. “You can kind of let your hair down.”

Rowdy Crowd

Guests swung their partners and tried out a Texas 10-step (five dancers doing the two-step) to a country-Western band.

Later, they sat at long tables covered with red-and-white checked cloths and enjoyed Knott’s famous fried chicken. The meal included beef shish kebab, rice pilaf and Mrs. Knott’s berry pie.

Knott’s presents a benefit before the opening night of its summer season every year. This is the second year the theme park has chosen Olive Crest as the designated charity.

Olive Crest was founded in 1973 by Dr. Donald Verleur, a psychologist who worked with abused children, and his wife, Lois, then a Sunday schoolteacher.

“We felt there must be a better way to help abused children than by putting them in large institutions,” Lois said. Olive Crest now operates 25 homes for abused, neglected and abandoned children in Orange County.

“This puts them as close to a family situation as you can get,” said Vic Trutanich, president of the foundation, who attended with his wife, Suzanne.

Other guests were Donald Verleur, son of the Olive Crest founders, David McElwee, vice president of development for the foundation, Leo and Leone Baroldi, Steve Charton, John and Donna Crean, Don Kammerer, Bill Mims, Betty Belden Palmer and Sandy and Harriet Sandhu.