Honors and Charitable Giving

MIND Research Institute's annual awards dinner, Music for a Cure, Rita Moreno, and so much more.

Our 2007 Honorary Chairs Janet and Walkie Ray are among the best volunteers any organization could hope for,” MIND Research Institute co-founder and senior scientist Matthew Peterson said at the nonprofit’s annual awards dinner for 430 guests at the Newport Beach Marriott Hotel and Spa. Peterson, much to his surprise, was later honored as well by MRI’s chairman and CEO Ted Smith for creating MIND’s Algebra Readiness Program. MRI co-founder Mark Bodner and MRI education division president Andrew Coulson presented eight school principals, teachers and students awards for their success with the institute’s programs, which prepares students in grades K-12, regardless of cultural or socioeconomic background, for math success in school, work and society. The event netted over $450,000 for that purpose.

Our chefs are the architects of hospitality in our community, whether servicing us in their restaurants, assisting us in our causes or distributing meals to the less fortunate,” Share Our Selves Executive Director Karen McGlinn said of the 14 chefs participating in the charity’s 17th annual Celebrity Chef Dinner at the Fairmont Newport Beach. Thanks to the chefs, restaurants and beverage providers donating the food and drinks, more than $250,000 was netted for the nonprofit agency that provides for the needs of those living in poverty in Orange County. Also helping the bottom line was a stellar live auction, led by KOCE-TV’s Ed Arnold, which featured a dinner for 12 by chefs Alan Greeley and Michael Kang that sold twice for $16,000 each. Teri Williams chaired the 335-guest benefit.

Always a heartwarming affair, the Goodwill of Orange County’s Walter Knott Award Luncheon with its 360 guests at the Balboa Bay Club & Resort did not disappoint. With Peter Buffa serving as master of ceremonies, the honorees included the Orange County Fire Authority, represented by Fire Chief Chip Prather, who lauded the four full-time employees from Goodwill working at the fire authority. Also honored were Alec “Bunk” Wurth, represented by his mother Sally Wurth and his sister-in-law Beverly Wurth, and Cheri Blauwet, a fifth-year Stanford University medical student and world-class athlete. Goodwill President Dan Rogers and co-chairs Cindy Gittleman and Lisa Calderone were very pleased with $143,000 in net proceeds, as was Walter Knott’s daughter Marion Knott Montapert, who said, “My father would be very proud of what is happening at Goodwill.”

Music for a Cure was inspired by 16-year-old Ryan Michael Bates,” Murphy Karges said at the second annual Music for a Cure benefit, the nonprofit he and his wife Julie founded in memory of Bates and his love of music. Julie, who serves as executive director of Music for a Cure, chaired the Heart of Rock and Roll fest at Samueli Theater at the Orange County Performing Artscenter, which netted $117,000 to bring music to children who are critically ill or facing financial hardship. Sugar Ray, for which Murphy is bassist, wowed the 498 guests with their hits. Smash Mouth followed with their high-energy performance. The Karges’ introduced Children’s Hospital of Orange County’s VP/COO Debra Mathias in mid-concert to announce a $1 million Music for a Cure pledge to endow a music therapy program at CHOC. Delighted guests departed with $50 Saks Fifth Avenue gift cards.

What talented kids. They are marvelous!” said dynamic entertainer Rita Moreno at Chapman University’s American Celebration, where the Oscar, Emmy, Tony, and Grammy Award winner received the university’s prestigious Lifetime Achievement in the Arts Award. Students from the Chapman College of Performing Arts wowed the 700 guests with a Bravo to the Performing Arts stage show in Memorial Hall, with President Jim Doti donning janitor’s overalls for his star turn singing and dancing. “You’d better keep your day job,” joked Moreno in good form. Marybelle and S. Paul Musco, dedicated Chapman supporters and devoted philanthropists of the arts and education, received the university’s Corporate Citizens of the Year Award. Kelly and Jim Mazzo chaired the gala, which netted more than $2 million for student scholarships.

Having the Pacific Symphony Orchestra begin here is probably the biggest contribution in our 50-year history,” said Jerry Samuelson, dean of California State University, Fullerton’s College of the Arts. To that end, the Pacific Symphony and Pacific Chorale performed Mozart’s Requiem in Meng Hall, followed by an Angels Among Us gala for 360 guests in Titan Student Union, transformed into “heaven” for the occasion. Gala co-chairs Doug Simao and CSUF alumna Kate Peters orchestrated the transformation as well as a wonderfully entertaining show featuring students from the College of the Arts. Two special “angels” were honored for their contributions to the arts – Mary Moore for her work with Pacific Symphony and Mary Lyons for her support of Pacific Chorale, whose director, John Alexander, was choral music director at CSUF for many years. The MAMM Alliance for the Performing Arts at CSUF netted $175,000 for its endowment to bring professional artists to the university. 

For the 28 years I knew Betty Belden Palmer, she was always “up to her ears” in charity work and saying she just had to begin “phasing out a few activities,” as she put it. Lucky for Orange County, that never happened. This amazing woman worked with 33 charities in her lifetime, and when I say worked, I mean founded support groups, served as board president and chaired events. Betty was in charge, making a difference. Her dearest friend, Ed Arnold, put it best at her “celebration of life” in December. “Betty, very simply, was and is one-of-a-kind, and we will never meet a person like her again.” I feel privileged to have known her and to have experienced her wise counsel on more than one occasion. I truly miss those red glasses and big earrings. She always made me smile. Here’s to you, dear friend!

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