Big hearts help Big Brothers Big Sisters

Believe it or not, the holidays are around the corner. Shoppers take note: The Angelitos card will be offered once again, entitling the bearer to wonderful savings at participating South Coast Plaza merchants. For the fourth year, the Angelitos de Oro, a small, dedicated support wing of Big Brothers Big Sisters of Orange County, will offer a shopping card that is a triple “win-win-win� -- benefiting the community, the merchants, and the charity.

Here’s how it works: Shoppers may purchase the Angelitos Card for $50, which is a donation to Big Brothers Big Sisters. From Nov. 3 to 8 at South Coast Plaza, the card will enable bearers to take advantage of a 20% savings on most, if not all merchandise at more than 100 stores and restaurants. Some of the retailers involved are the Gap stores, including Baby Gap, Gap Kids and the Gap.

This year’s shopping event is being co-chaired by Pam Muzzy and Jayne Lally with tremendous support from South Coast Plaza executive Anton Segerstrom and staff. Many South Coast Plaza retailers have the card on sale now; just stop by your favorite haunts and help Big Brothers Big Sisters of Orange County. The card is also available through any concierge desk at South Coast Plaza. Organizers hope to top last year’s tally of some $177,000. For more information, please call (949) 642-9883 or log on to www.angelitosdeoro.org.

The Queen of Hearts Foundation began the first round of its third annual charity tennis tournament at the Newport Beach Tennis Club Oct. 7. The final rounds take place today and Sunday. Proceeds will benefit ovarian cancer research at UCI Medical Center-Chao Family Comprehensive Cancer Center. Last Saturday evening, following the first day of play, organizers held their annual tux and tennies party. Catering for the affair was generously donated by Capistrano’s as players danced to the band Rembrandt.

Dennis Claus is serving as tournament chairman with assistance from charity founder Kim Beaudette and Dale Skiles serving as tournament director. Dedicated donors Hank Lloyd and Tracy Worley are honorary event chairs, with Bert Sherron being honored with the Bill Ruhle leadership award.

Queen of Hearts was founded in 2000 in memory of Ann S. Dobbie and to date has raised more than $500,000 toward ovarian cancer research. For more information please call (714) 744-3414 or check out the foundation’s website at www.qohfoundation.org.

Two of Newport’s prominent citizens, Caroline Klein of Linda Isle and Bill Cohen of Belcourt, will chair the upcoming gala benefiting Heritage Pointe, the Orange County Jewish home for the aging in Mission Viejo. They are calling the November 6 affair S.S. Heritage Point, as the party will have a cruise theme, transforming the ballroom of the Irvine Hyatt Regency Hotel into a fantasy ocean liner.

Caroline Klein reports that relaxed cruise attire is the mode of dress for the evening that will include music, foods from various ports of call and games of chance.

The evening will honor two dedicated local Heritage Pointe volunteers, Feryne Margolin of Newport Beach and Sandy Bursten of Irvine. For ticket information, call Heritage Pointe at (949) 364-9685.

The Junior League of Orange County California presents Christmas Company 2005 this evening at the Orange County Fair and Exposition Center in Costa Mesa. It’s the 30th anniversary of this major holiday shopping extravaganza that has for three decades raised significant funds to support the worthwhile charitable endeavors of the Junior League all through the year.

Tonight’s opening party has been created by organizers as Christmas in the Quarter. The New Orleans theme was planned a year ago, long before the devastation of hurricanes Katrina and Rita. The Junior League will donate a portion of its proceeds from the event to victims of the hurricanes on the Gulf Coast.

It is fitting, on the other hand, that the party will have a Mardi Gras atmosphere inasmuch as both the spirit of New Orleans and the spirit of America in general has always been about people coming together and doing the right thing, helping people less fortunate. Last-minute tickets for tonight’s Christmas Company debut are still available. Patrons can purchase a $75 ticket, which will include all kinds of cuisine from Orange County’s best restaurants, music by the New Orleans jazz trio Le Jazz Hot, and a hosted bar featuring Ciroc Snap Frost Vodka. Call (949) 261-1837 for last-minute ticket reservations or go online at www.jlocc.org. Christmas Company will run through the middle of next week with all kinds of special events planned for the holiday reveler.

* THE CROWD runs Thursdays and Saturdays.

20051015iodli8kn(LA)Stuart Winston of South Coast Plaza joins Toni Berlinger of Angelitos de Oro for the 4th annual shopping partnership benefiting Big Brothers Big Sisters of Orange County. 20051015iodlhhkn(LA)Angelitos de Oro presents its holiday shopping card -- the Angelitos Card -- at South Coast Plaza. Volunteers include Jayne Lally, Brenda Currie, Susan Anderson and Pam Muzzy. 20051015gzf7uqke(LA)