The Crowd:

The Orange County chapter of Childhelp will present its annual holiday boutique and luncheon Christmas Through the Eyes Of a Child on Nov. 16.

The massive seasonal gathering is set to unfold at the Hyatt Regency Hotel, Irvine with dozens of Christmas vendors presenting every variety of holiday merchandise. For reservations and ticket information, call Nancy Whitlock at (949) 548-4228. Tickets are $75 per person.

Childhelp recently launched its fall and winter social season with two local fundraisers. Images Salon, Corona del Mar, held the eighth annual Cut-A-Thon hosted by salon owners Ron, Michele and Alan Perez working with stylist Marc McArdel and 40 other Images stylists.

The entire salon donated its time, giving discounted haircuts to hundreds of patrons and donating 100% of the proceeds to Childhelp group homes for abused children in Orange County. By the end of the day, $16,000 had been raised. In the eight years Images Salon has been volunteering its services, $88,800 has been donated to Childhelp.

A Childhelp gathering at South Coast Plaza’s Bally Boutique attracted more than 100 Childhelp patrons who turned out to shop in the new collection. Bally partnered with Vogue Magazine for the benefit premiere shopping spree.

By the end of the evening, a portion of the proceeds in sales totaling $6,000 was raised for Childhelp. Vogue photographers were snapping pictures of the Newport Beach crowd including OC Childhelp President Diana Miner, Alana Hedley, Mary Allyn Dexter, Katherine Meredith, and Childhelp national board member Patti Edwards. Also in the crowd were former pro football player Rich Saul and his wife, Eileen, and Robin Newton with her husband, August Iacono.

Three VIP events at the Balboa Bay Club & Resort, Newport Beach included the Friday afternoon Ronald McDonald House tea attracting a sold-out crowd for the 20th annual tradition.

Melanie Pollack helped to sell out the $100-per-ticket tea, which featured a fashion show of designer clothing from Mi Place as well as silent and live auctions. Proceeds from the event benefit the Ronald McDonald House, which cares for families of seriously ill children receiving treatment at Orange County hospitals.

The tea is the most important fundraiser of the year for Ronald McDonald House.

Human Options will gather Wednesday at the Balboa Bay Club & Resort for the fall fundraiser, A Mother’s Courage: Making a Journey from Fear to Victory.

Author Betty Mahmoody, whose New York Times best-selling book “Not Without My Daughter,” captured national attention, will address the luncheon crowd.

Mahmoody will share her experience of fleeing an abusive relationship and taking her daughter, Mahtob. Chaired by Beth Bedna and Artyn Gardner, the luncheon will raise funds to support domestic violence programs in Orange County.

Tickets for the luncheon are $150, and some last-minute reservations may be available by calling Nora Caldwell at (949) 737-5242, ext. 211. Guests are asked to bring used clothing, which will be donated to Classy Seconds, with proceeds benefiting Human Options programs.

Girls Inc. of Orange County will host its 2009 Strong, Smart and Bold Celebration Friday at the Balboa Bay Club. More than 400 guests are set to gather under the chairmanship of Eve Kornyei, Gianna Drake-Kerrison, Larane Rodnick and Carol Lee. The evening event will feature distinguished guest speaker Karen Katz, president and chief executive of Neiman Marcus stores.

Girls Inc. was founded in Orange County in 1954 and provides year-round after-school and summer programs for girls 4 1/2 to 18 years old. In 2009, Girls Inc. served more than 4,600 girls at its primary location in Costa Mesa.

For more information, contact Madeline Zuckerman at (949) 644-4777 or [email protected].

Friends of the late Debra Simon will gather at 11 a.m. Tuesday in the community center at Mariners Church in Irvine for a memorial service and celebration of life. Simon died Sept. 10 at her home on Harbor Island.

Active in numerous community, charitable and civic organizations, Simon leaves a large contingent of friends in addition to parents, siblings, and three children.

One of her sons is receiving treatment at the Passaic County Cerebral Palsy Treatment Center in New Jersey. In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to the center on behalf of Scott Simon, 15 Union Ave., Clifton, N.J, 07011.

THE CROWD runs Thursdays and Saturdays.