THE CROWD:

It was a luncheon filled with high purpose and “high hopes.�

The Merage Foundation held its first gathering of friends in support of early childhood development centers throughout Orange County. Organizers hope it’s an annual event.

Paul Merage, Newport Coast resident and founder and president of the Merage Foundation joined his wife, Lilly, welcoming high-powered and prominent locals for lunch at the Hyatt Regency Hotel Irvine.

They came to make a difference for children in less-fortunate circumstances living in our own backyard. Merage announced the creation of the Invest in Children Fund, which will support the expansion of early childhood education.

The fund will help provide medical support necessary for a healthy start in life. The inaugural “high hopes� event raised more than $150,000.

The High Hopes luncheon began with an eloquent address by Merage explaining the connection between the proper start in life and the proper finish benefiting both the individual and the American population at large.

Lunch was served to guests and underwriters including Caroline Jones, representing donor Cartier, Jean and Tim Weiss, Kris and Linda Elftmann, Stephen and Cindy Fry, Michael and Iris Smith, Richard and Hyla Bertea, Darrel and Marsha Anderson, Shlomit and Yishai Aizik, and John and Shireen Dardashti.

Doug Freeman joining wife, Lynn, were also among the prominent sponsors in support of High Hopes. Freeman made the presentation of awards to Dr. Maria Minon and Ted Smith, both of whom addressed the crowd sharing personal and passionate remarks about the importance of early childhood education.

Minon is the chief medical officer at Children’s Hospital of Orange County and also chairs the Orange County Children and Families Commission.

Smith serves as chairman of the board and chief executive of the MIND Research Institute. He is the past chair of the UCI Foundation and the UCI Chief Executive Round Table.

Also addressing the crowd was Aida Alvarez, former administrator of the U.S. Small Business Administration, and a member of former President Clinton’s Cabinet from 1997 to 2001. Alvarez flew in from San Francisco, where she chairs the Latino Community Foundation.

Shelley Hoss, president of the Orange County Community Foundation, commented, “The education of young children is critical to the long-term health and well-being of Orange County.�

The Orange County Community Foundation will provide the umbrella for the Invest in Children Fund created by the Merage family and friends. Paul Merage said, “Despite the wealth in our community, thousands of children do not have access to quality early childhood education that every child deserves.�

Also supporting the event were John and Ruth Ann Evans of Wells Fargo Bank, Paul and Michelle Janavs, Pam and Andy Policano, Mike and Ellie Gordon, Ann and Rich Keller, John Forsythe of the Pacific Symphony Orchestra, Vicki Booth, James Loss, Bill and Pat Podlich, community activists who assisted the Merage family in organizing the first luncheon, Nira Roston, Victor and Barbara Klein, Jennifer Van Bergh, Jennifer Segerstrom, Valerie and Hans Imhof, Rabbi Rachlis and his wife, Ruti Brier, and Merage Foundation executive Marshall Kaplan and his wife, Jacinta.

For more information on the work of Invest in Children Fund, please call (949) 474-5882.

Art of Dining 2008, one of Newport’s most glamorous society events of the early summer, is set for June 7 at the Island Hotel.

Recently sponsors gathered for a very special patron’s party recognizing the generosity of donors supporting Art of Dining, which is the Orange County Museum of Arts major fundraising gala.

Newport Coast residents Michelle and Paul Janavs opened their Pelican Point villa for some 100 Art of Dining superstars for an elegant and lively evening on the Pacific Coast. Presiding over the Janavs’ reception were Art of Dining chair Carmela Phillips and vice chair Marsha Anderson.

The two dynamic women joined OCMA director Dennis Szakacs and curator Elizabeth Armstrong greeting the crowd, which included Twyla and Charles Martin, Moira and Fred Kamgar, Inga and Mark Beder, Kelly and David Emmes, Gianna and Demetrio Kerrison, Irene and Lucio Martino, Jennifer and Anton Segerstrom and Lilly and Paul Merage.

Carolyn Jones, who also sponsored the Invest in Children luncheon for the Merage Foundation, was front and center at the Janavs’ reception for The Art of Dining, joining her associate at Cartier, Naomi Mansbach. Cartier has been a long and devoted sponsor of artistic pursuits in Orange County.

This year Art of Dining will honor architect Tom Mayne, founder of the firm Morphosis.

Mayne and his firm have been honored with the Pritzker Prize for architectural excellence.

For more information on the Art of Dining 2008 please call the museum at (949) 759-1122.

THE CROWD runs Thursdays and Saturdays.