The Crowd:

An impressive $210,000 net was raised recently for the Assistance League of Newport-Mesa at their gala fundraiser billed as Dancing for Tomorrow’s Stars. Based on the theme of the mega popular television show, charity chairs attracted more than 500 guests to witness a local version of the celebrity dance competition. Jan Murar Jan Murar served as the special event chair, joining longtime Assistance League devotee Nora Jorgenson-Johnson in the role of honorary chairwoman of the evening.

The gala unfolded at the Marriott Hotel, Irvine and was emceed by the philanthropic Ed Arnold joining celebrity guest entertainment reporter George Pennacchio of KABC-TV fame. Both men joined dancer Mindy Stearns, who handled behind the scenes color commentary with the dance couples.

The stars of the show were Dr. Esmael ‘Essie’ Adibi, Jill Ayres, Heidi Cortese-Sherman, Vince Ferragamo, Jeannie Lawrence and Jim McAleer. Winners were Lawrence (best female dancer), McAleer (best male dancer) and the Fan Favorite Dancer, who received the most community votes, was Cortese-Sherman.

The lively party marked the 70th anniversary of the Assistance League of Newport-Mesa, a chapter of the National Assistance League, a nonprofit, self-funded, volunteer organization working to improve the lives of local children and their families. Founded in 1940, funds raised support the Cheri Harris Children’s Dental Health Center, Operation School Bell, Kids on the Block, and an assortment of community outreach programs. A highlight of the evening was a special waltz performed by devoted Assistance League patroness Julia Argyros and her husband, Ambassador George Argyros.

They called it Wine for the MIND. The inaugural community fundraiser produced by UC Irvine’s Institute for Memory Impairments and Neurological Disorders, known as UCI MIND, joined the Alzheimer’s Research Institute and raised an impressive $100,000 recently at a wine tasting event at the home of Kerry and Scott Kavanaugh.

The event featured wines from 21 wineries. The guests included Mimi and Michael Thompson, Burt and Linda Young, Jean Moriarity, Vicki Clark, and Malcolm and Cordula Dick. Also on hand were Mima Ransom of Newport Beach, Jacqueline DuPont Carlson, and director of the UCI MIND Institute Frank LaFerla.

Event committee member Alison Hahn joined her mother Bellany Beaumont, of Corona del Mar, offering a testimonial about the importance of the MIND Clinic.

“Memory loss becomes a family disease when someone is afflicted, and we need to know early what plans are necessary as we begin the journey together,” Hahn said.

Both Hahn and Beaumont were among many supporters who came together to raise funds to save the clinic, which was on the verge of closing down for lack of funding. Like many government funded centers, the UCI MIND Clinic had its budget cut by 50% creating a $300,000 shortfall this year. Every dollar raised at the wine tasting will enable the clinic to continue serving the community.

Society photographer Ann Chatillon will join her cinematographer husband, Rick Chatillon, on April 28 for the premiere screening of their surf documentary movie titled “Living It Forever.” The film that chronicles the “carefree days” in the 1950s and 1960s in Newport Beach, which were considered the heyday of the surfer’s dream on the California Riviera, will be showcased as part of the 11th annual Newport Beach Film Festival. The Chatillons partnered with award-winning composer and music director Philip Marshall, who scored the film. It contains amazing surf footage paired with up-close and personal interviews with legendary surfers. Narrated by Jeff Malanca, a.k.a. “Surf Junkie Jeff,” a Costa Mesa resident and surf columnist for the Orange County Register, the movie includes sound bytes from David Nuuihwa, Ilima Kalama, Anne Kilroy, Mike Marshall, Ricky Lowe and Ron Sizemore.

The film will be screened at Newport’s Lido Theatre at 7 and 9 p.m. For ticket information go to www.nbffaction.com.

THE CROWD runs Thursdays and Saturdays.