Adults Dress Up, Lace Up and Kick Up Heels

Tuxedos and tennis shoes, party horns and propeller beanies made for “an immature evening of fun” at a dinner auction Friday to kick off Byron Scott’s Sixth Annual Challenge for Children weekend.

About 650 guests, many of them sporting athletic shoes with their elegant evening wear in keeping with the suggested dress code, attended the $150-per-person gala at the Newport Beach Marriott Hotel. The weekend-long event included a Pro-Star Charity Basketball Game on Saturday and a Celebrity-Amateur Tennis Tournament on Sunday and was expected to raise about $150,000 for Orange County children’s charities.

Fancy Feet

The Los Angeles Lakers’ Scott, host of the weekend festivities, turned up at the dinner dressed in an ivory tuxedo and good-sized dress shoes instead of sneakers.

“I never wear athletic shoes,” he said. Except on the court.

Scott began the Challenge for Children six years ago after visiting a young cancer patient at Children’s Hospital of Orange County.

“From the moment that I met the little guy, I decided to raise money for kids,” he said.

Since staging the first black tie dinner, Scott has received considerable help from his friends. Jerry Mathers, who played the Beaver on the “Leave it to Beaver” TV series, was honored for his contributions with a “Tribute to the Beaver.”

“Six years ago Byron wrote me a real nice letter asking me if I would come to the dinner. I’ve been coming ever since,” Mathers said.

Mathers was approached frequently by fans wanting to meet Beaver Cleaver. He’s still surprised by the enduring popularity of the show.

“I can’t believe the show has been on since 1957. It’s more popular today than it was originally,” he said.

Others honored were surfing champion Richie Collins, who was inducted into the Byron Scott Varsity Club (a support group of local businessmen) and Michael Hyde, who received The Chuck Clustka Award for his work with Drug Use is Life Abuse and other organizations.

Acting Like Kids

Guests gathered for a silent auction, which along with traditional items such as ski trips and tickets to sporting events included a day of beauty and pampering for a child 10 years or younger. More proof that this event was about child’s play.

Victoria Riccabona, president of the Children’s Home Society in Santa Ana, wandered among the auction tables wearing a short pink dress and coordinating pink tennis shoes studded with rhinestones.

“I decorated them myself,” she said.

Her husband, Steve, wore one of the multicolored “copter hats”--beanies with propellers--issued to guests.

“You have to keep the fun in life,” he said.

More fun was to come. Guests adjourned to the hotel ballroom, where tables were decorated with centerpieces made of athletic shoes that looked big enough to fit the feet of Scott. The shoes overflowed with flowers, streamers and party horns.

Guests then settled down to a feast that included spinach salad with lemon olive oil dressing, triple peppered tenderloin of beef over bordelaise sauce, grilled chicken breast with pesto sauce served over angel hair pasta, asparagus and, for dessert, tiramisu with chocolate sauce.

For the Children

Proceeds from the event will go to the Children’s Home Society of California, Discovery Museum of Santa Ana, Drug Use is Life Abuse, the Los Angeles Times Children’s Fund, Mission Hospital Regional Medical Center Foundation in Mission Viejo and the South County Community Clinic in San Juan Capistrano.

“By coordinating the different philanthropies, this event has so much more drawing power,” said Janet Ray, a long-time supporter of the Discovery Museum whose husband, James, is president of the museum science board.

“And the best part is it involves children.”

Among the guests were Olden Polynice, Mary Frann, Mark Eaton and other celebrities, and supporters Dave and Cheryl Ball, Clarence and Suzanne Barker, Art and Gaye Birtcher, Bob and Cleva Howard, Richard and Donice Jones, Brian and Kathy McInerney, Master of Ceremonies John Moschitta, George O’Connell, Gared and Fran Smith, Assemblyman Tom Umberg and Reynold Welch.