Bookworms gather to support literature

A group of distinguished Newport-Mesa women associated with the

Bookworms, an auxiliary of the Assistance League of Southern

California, traveled to Los Angeles for a luncheon at the Jonathan

Club that featured authors Anthony Slide and William McCall.

The local Bookworms included Claudette Buckley, Raylene Creath,

Joyce Cleary, Dorothy Elliott, Bette Jackson, Colleen Johns, Joann

Koll, Rochelle O’Donnell, Isabelle Prescott and her daughter Roxanne

Prescott, Elaine Rothell, Roberta Skoro and Madeline Williamson.

The women have supported literary functions and raised funds to

support the programs of the Assistance League, mostly to help

disadvantaged children.

“Books open doors for young minds and keep them open for older

ones,” said Bette Jackson of Newport Beach. “Literacy is a valuable

tool for helping all children reach their dreams. We are proud to

support programs featuring a variety of authors.”

Slide, an independent film scholar, archivist and consultant, has

published more than 50 books on subjects relating to film.

Slide addressed the crowd on his biographical research on all of

the original Hollywood pioneers and silent film stars. McCall told

the assemblage that he is writing a novel based on a true story about

an Arabian stallion named Witez that played an important role in

World War II.

The Bookworms, chaired by Amy Jo Runnels, are one of Southern

California’s oldest established charities, dating back to 1938.

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Lido’s lovely Marion Pickens reports that the Philharmonic Society

of Orange County, Lido Isle Committee, is busy planning a premiere

night gala for the 2003 Philharmonic House of Design, a tour of

Chelsea Manor, an English country estate in Orange Park Acres.

Chair Maureen Ramer and fellow Lido ladies Mary Manno, Mary

McCarthy, Jean Grover, Allegra Stoltz, Joyce Merritt, Susan O’Toole,

Leslie Larson, Elaine Gordon, Judith Longyear, Diana Miner, Pam

Nestande, Gail Rosenstein, Anne Angermeir, Nora Lehman, Nikki Repp

and Anita Dabney are pulling out all the stops to create a

spectacular evening on the estate that will officially open the House

of Design to the community on May 4.

The women are organizing a champagne reception and open house at

the estate that will begin at 5 p.m. Sunday evening. It will be

followed by a romantic al fresco dinner with dancing at the Bowers

Museum of Cultural Art in Santa Ana.

Tickets to the black-tie optional affair are $135 per person. For

reservations, please call Anita Dabney at (949) 673-7635.

* THE CROWD appears Thursdays and Saturdays.