Trust Worthy
The event: An afternoon of alfresco dining and thought- provoking lectures at which a $1-million charitable trust for the Brain Imaging Center at the UCI College of Medicine was announced. Center supporters Bob and Peggy Sprague of Corona del Mar were singled out at the event for their generous gift, an inheritance-style trust to be used by the center after their deaths. Sunday’s luncheon-- which celebrated the 10th anni-
versary of the formation of the Brain Imaging Center Committee--took place in a real-life castle, the French country-style home of Aram and Margie Keith in San Juan Capistrano.
Home, sweet home: Guests were whisked up a long driveway leading to the 11,000-square-foot castle. They enjoyed made-to-order pastas prepared by Pennington Catering on a patio overlooking a three-hole putting green, tennis courts and stable. Later, everyone gathered in the elegant powder-blue living room, where pictures of brain scans had been set up for a briefing on the center’s research projects.
Brain power: Using state-of-the-art technology, including a PET (Positron Emission Tomography) brain scanner, researchers at the center study the cause and treatment of brain-related disorders, including Alzheimer’s disease, depression, schizophrenia and Parkinson’s disease. “We’re investigating a whole set of questions about all of these diseases,” said Dr. William Bunney, distinguished professor and Della Martin Chair of Psychiatry at UCI.
Guest list: Many of the roughly 100 guests were members of the center steering committee or have donated at least $1,000 annually to the center. Attending were Dr. Ahmad Najafi, assistant adjunct professor of psychiatry at the center; Dr. Joseph Wu, the center’s acting director; Dr. Tom Cesario, dean of the UCI College of Medicine; Peggy Goldwater Clay, BIC Steering Committee president; Jean Aldrich; Bob Bonney; Dee Harvey; Jean Liechty; Eldon Lockhart; Michele Rohe; and Stanley and June van den Noort.
Deja view: This was the second time the Keiths have opened their hilltop home to center supporters. The BIC Committee celebrated its five-year anniversary at the castle too. Said Dee Harvey, co-chair of special events with Margie Keith: “We’d been looking for a place to have the party, and Margie, who was working as a volunteer in our office, said, ‘You could use my house. I’ll bring some pictures.’ We saw the photos of the home and said ‘Wow!’ ”
Bottom line: Since the BIC committee was formed 10 years ago by the late Athalie Clarke, the group has raised about $3 million--not counting the Spragues’ gift. “The committee has helped provide funds for pilot studies which we were then able to use to obtain federal funds for research,” Bunney said. Members also purchased a (slightly used) late-model brain scanner for the bargain-basement price of a quarter million.
What’s ahead: More brain food. The BIC Committee will join UCI College of Medicine and the UCI Neuroscience Community in presenting an evening of public lectures on “The Human Brain: Images and Insights.” The series will be held March 11, from 6:30 p.m. to 9 p.m. at the Arnold and Mabel Beckman Center at UCI. The talks are free, but tickets are necessary. In June, the committee will stage its Silver Ribbon Dinner, honoring a yet-to-be-identified celebrity.
Whom to call: The Brain Imaging Center at (714) 824-1379. For a free tour of the center, call (714) 824-4245.
