B.W. COOK -- The Crowd

The 8th annual Harvest luncheon and fashion show was surely the most

lavish fall fashion event on the Orange Coast. The recent extravaganza at

the Four Seasons Hotel, Newport Beach, was the work of The Harvesters, a

small yet powerful group of local women dedicated to the eradication of

hunger in the county.

Chaired by Jeri McKenna, wife of super auto dealer Danny McKenna, with

support from organization founders Jill Johnson-Tucker and Jennifer Van

Bergh, a massive turnout substantiated the efforts of The Harvesters.

Largely considered an up-and-coming group of local movers and shakers,

The Harvesters are a cadre of 30-something ladies who happen to be very

successful women. Most of them are married with children, and many are

also managing high-profile careers.

They make time to volunteer for efforts such as The

Harvesters,supporting the Second Harvest Food Bank of Orange County. This

year the crowd at the Four Seasons was not only larger, but also filled

with a contingent of the social establishment -- the old guard. Many of

Newport’s high-profile social leaders were in attendance this year,

supporting the effort and checking out the scene.

The result was monetary success and the invisible success we call

community acceptance. It was supported by the William M. Close family,

the Beall Family Foundation, Donna and John Crean, the Ueberroth Family

Foundation, Joe and Carol Weller and Nestle USA, the lawyers of Gibson

Dunn and Crutcher, Danny and Jeri McKenna, Donald Roden, The Lido Isle

Women’s Club, Bank of America, Susan and Richard Bridgford, Ken and

Stephanie Grody, Ellen Feldberg Gordon, Teddie and Michael Ray, Kelly

Roberts, Leslie Kremer Seider, USTrust, Betty Steele, and so many more

individuals and businesses.

It all began with a silent auction and champagne reception hosted by

Cartier and held under a tent on the hotel property poolside. By late

morning the wings of the tent were raised to reveal a spectacular stage

with 180-degree, semicircular seating facing tiers of platforms that

would soon be the fashion focus of the event produced by South Coast

Plaza, under the stewardship of Billur Wallerich.

As the music beckoned the last minute bidders away from the auction,

guests quickly took the prime seats in the tented arena, anxiously

awaiting the show.

Conversations were hushed as Harvesters Van Berg, Tucker and McKenna

introduced their goals, their guests and Wallerich to narrate the show.

South Coast Plaza surely spent six figures underwriting what was

certainly the most staged and choreographed fashion production to grace

the coast so far this season. Models from stores including Gucci, Kenzo,

Maxmara, Escada and many more paraded the runways to the latest beat,

showing off the fall and winter ready wear, as well as some couture

fashion.

In as much as music has become an integral part of these productions,

one song remained in the heads of many, as the crowd departed the tent

for luncheon in the hotel ballroom. The song -- well it was a little tune

called “Sex Bomb,” as in “I want to be your ...” We think it’s a new

disco hit from Tom Jones.

Whatever it is, it was perfect for the fashion show, albeit rather

incongruous to those visiting the Four Seasons Hotel for other purposes

who witnessed an army of elegant women and handsome gents singing “Sex

Bomb” as they marched from the tent to the ballroom to break bread.

Spotted in the crowd were dedicated Harvesters Ann Smyth, Teddie Ray,

Robin McMonigle, Kathy Schoenbaum, Sherry Abbott, Anissa Gurnee, Carmela

Phillips, Katherine Sanderson, Carie Ross, Allison Kearns, Wendy Enkema,

Ellen Small, Sherry Haber, Kathy Kelter and Nicole Thompson.

The event attracted nearly 600 guests, with net estimated proceeds

topping the $300,000 mark, bringing the eight-year tally to more than

$1.5 million for the Second Harvest Food Bank of Orange County.

Also supporting the project were Cerise Feeley, Molly Lyon, Darlene

Weiner, Robert McNulty, Terry Callahan, Ruben Flores, Bobbie Felsot,

Virginia Knott Bender, Ruth and Arnold Feuerstein, Sandi Simon, Judy

Slutzky, Peggie Sprague, Judy Sweeney, Joan Riach, Marion Palley and Gail

Kirwan. The Harvesters work in a partnership with KTLA Charities, a fund

of the McCormick Tribune Foundation.

* THE CROWD appears Thursdays and Saturdays.