RSVP / ORANGE COUNTY : Benefit’s a Shot in the Arm for Clinic : A dinner and silent auction raise money for an Orange-based facility, which treats the poor ‘with gentle, loving care,’ a supporter says.

Supporters of the Lestonnac Free Medical Clinic, which provides medical services to the poor, staged “A Bearly Good Time” benefit to raise money for a bare necessity--medicine for the clinic pharmacy.

About 200 guests attended the dinner and silent auction at the Anaheim Marriott on Saturday. The $200-per-person gala was expected to net about $35,000 for the Orange-based clinic.

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A Play on Words

“We called this event ‘A Bearly Good Time’ because we barely made it,” said Jutta Murray, event chairwoman. “With the economy, it was very hard to sell tickets. We didn’t know if we would pull it off.”

But pull it off they did. Working with a lean budget, Murray decided to decorate the tables with teddy bears and empty wine bottles filled with fresh flowers. There, guests enjoyed a gourmet dinner they could barely finish--country garden salad, roast leg of veal in a Marsala and mushroom sauce, fresh vegetables and a flourless chocolate terrine with raspberry sauce.

After dinner guests were entertained by the New Chordettes, an all-female singing quartet that performed tunes from the ‘50s and ‘60s.

The clinic also honored Stanley Pawlowski for his longtime support.

“I like the work they do,” said Pawlowski, who attended with his wife, Theresa. “They treat people with gentle, loving care.”

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Helping Poorest of the Poor

Lestonnac Clinic was started in 1979 by Sister Marie Therese to meet the medical, psychological and dental needs of the poor.

“I saw so many poor people, and they had no money to go to a doctor. They were suffering, and my heart was moved,” said Sister Marie Therese.

A team of volunteer doctors and nurses performs all kinds of services, including prenatal care for pregnant women, treatment for ear and respiratory infections in children and cataract removals.

The clinic serves about 6,000 patients annually, and there is no charge to the patients, who must be below the poverty level and be ineligible for Medi-Cal or Medicare to receive services.

Classes on nutrition, alcoholism and hygiene are also available.

“In these hard economic times, the clinic is like a lighthouse,” Pawlowski said.

Among those attending were Allen and Susan Boerner, Rosalie Corless, Don and Fran Gionet, Carl and Margaret Karcher, Charles and Millie Kovac, Eleanore Randolph and Joe Vera.