A Heroine at Heart

Members of United Way’s Alexis de Toqueville Society gathered at the Westin South Coast Plaza on Tuesday to honor philanthropist Arden Flamson of Corona del Mar.

During the luncheon festivities at the Costa Mesa hotel, Flamson was presented with the society’s heroine award for her activism in the Orange County community.

Flamson has held positions of volunteer leadership at Hoag Hospital Memorial Presbyterian--where she helped establish the Richard J. Flamson Hereditary Screening Program--and Big Brothers/Big Sisters of Orange County, Children’s Hospital of Orange County, South Coast Repertory and the Orange County Performing Arts Center.

Members of the Alexis de Toqueville Society donate $10,000 or more annually to United Way, a nonprofit organization that seeks to serve the community in five priority areas: assistance to families in crisis, prevention of family violence, enhancement of child care and development, promotion of youth educational development and improvement of community health.

The event was hosted by the society and underwritten by Pacific Mutual of Newport Beach.

A Salute

“I have the honor of recognizing a woman whose accomplishments in the community proclaim her values,� said Marilyn Sutton, co-chair of the Alexis de Tocqueville Society with her husband, Tom (chairman and CEO of Pacific Mutual).

“Arden Flamson is a woman of great gifts. . . . She rises to leadership positions in any effort she undertakes, inspires others to join with her.

“She chooses carefully where she invests her time--she is a woman who aligns her values with her efforts. She is a wonderful family person, mother of four, grandmother of nine.

“She sees the community as an extended family where the health and welfare of each member is vital.�

An Inspiration

Standing before more than 100 guests, Flamson admitted she was feeling overwhelmed.

“My knees are shaking; I’m almost speechless,� she said.

“However . . .� she continued, smiling. “For me, volunteerism has always been about heart. Selfishly, what it does for my heart, the feeling that, in some way you can help a child gain a new confidence, share the joy of theater, music, with newfound friends . . . .

“I have been blessed in many ways with a loving family, the best friends . . . and the opportunity to live in a community that has real soul, a community that allows people like me to give and receive so much back.�

Immediate Concerns

During her luncheon remarks, Maria Chavez Wilcox, president of the Orange County chapter of United Way, told the crowd that United Way exists to bring people together to serve the community in the most effective way possible. “We look at what the most critical needs are and network, trying to accomplish goals,� she said.

“Since 1990, we’ve had a 60% increase in child abuse [reports] in Orange County,� she said.

“We currently have 15,000 kids on waiting lists to get subsidized child care. Since 1990, the rate of juvenile arrests has increased here 22%. One-third of our homeless is children, and one-third of our children are poor.

“Not to bring a downer to this wonderful lunch, but this is what really helps us focus on why the United Way organization is important. Our job is to address these needs.�