PALS Puts Up a Tent at an Oasis
The event: A Moroccan Millennium Celebration, with camels and belly dancers, to benefit Orangewood Children’s Foundation. The New Year’s Eve gala took place in a tent at Fashion Island Newport Beach. It was staged by PALS, a group of young professionals who support the Orangewood Children’s Home for abused and neglected kids.
Watching the clock: To gain entrance into the tent, the 500 guests had to show a special Millennium PALS digital watch that served as their ticket and helped them count down to midnight. Many stopped on the red carpet to pose for pictures with two camels (but declined to ride them on this rainy evening).
Inside the tent, they relaxed in private VIP cabanas, enjoyed a gourmet buffet of chicken breast with red wine fig sauce and other exotic fare, and joined belly dancers on the dance floor.
At midnight, as cannons shot off confetti, the revelers toasted 2000 with champagne and enjoyed a “fireworks” light show projected onto the walls of the tent. Couples shared a traditional New Year’s Eve smooch: Barri Brown and her date, John Washer, did “the big movie kiss.”
Movers and shakers: Stephanie Argyros, daughter of philanthropists George and Judie Argyros, started PALS (Providing Assistance, Love and Support) as an auxiliary of the Orangewood Children’s Foundation in 1996.
The group’s mission: To help children who live at the shelter in Orange and youngsters leaving the foster-care system.
Today, PALS has more than 2,200 members, most of them Orange County professionals ages 25 to 45. They hold a variety of fund-raisers and volunteer directly with the children at Orangewood for Fun Days activities such as pizza parties, carnivals and field trips.
Quote: “PALS appeals to a lot of young people looking to become active in philanthropy,” said Mitch Junkins, PALS chairman. “It’s a really needed charity in Orange County because it’s good at creating a platform where different activities attract different people.”
Faces: Sue Carter, event co-chairwoman; Gene Howard, executive director of the Orangewood shelter; Shirley Pepys; Maja Santley; Keri Dugan; Amy Manser; Julie Secrist; Marty Dutch; Lori Junkins; Tammy Ring; Rene Matz; and Sabrina Combs.
Bottom line: The gala grossed about $250,000. Net proceeds will go to the On My Own programs coordinated by the Orangewood Children’s Foundation. The programs include scholarships, business mentoring and independent-living skills to help youngsters in the foster-care system become independent adults.
Whom to call: For information about joining PALS and upcoming fund-raisers, call the hotline at (714) 741-9368 or visit the Web site at www.orangewoodpals.org.