THE CROWD:Children’s Bureau honors John Crean

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They dedicated the evening to the memory of John Crean.

The Orange County chapter of the Los Angeles-based Children’s Bureau held its 10th anniversary summer clambake and lobster dinner, appropriately known as the Creans’ Clambake and Rockin’ Lobster Bash. Shady Canyon Golf Club in Irvine was the setting for the sublime summer Saturday evening.

A sold-out crowd of gals in summer strapless dresses and gents in Reyn Spooner tropical shirts toasted the good life over frosty margarita cocktails on the veranda of the Santa Barbara-inspired Shady Canyon clubhouse.

Newport’s philanthropic hostess Donna Crean was front and center in honor of her late husband, with whom she generously supported Children’s Bureau pursuits. Donna Crean became active in the L.A. chapter of the bureau when the family lived in Beverly Hills. Upon moving to the O.C., Donna and John funded the start-up of an Orange County chapter and have been a mainstay of the organization for many years.

Originally founded as a child adoption agency a century ago, the nonprofit Children’s Bureau is dedicated to child abuse prevention, with “Saving Children” as its motto. On Saturday night, the serious work was left at the door as some 200 guests came to enjoy a fabulous steak-and-lobster dinner and traditional clambake with all of the accouterments.

In addition to the largesse of the Crean family, the evening was sponsored by Newport’s Patti and Jim Edwards, Eve Kornyei and Stan Hanson, Deborah and Henry Mayhew, and Marta and Raj Bhathal. Other major donors were Pelican Point’s Harriet and Sandy Sandhu, Holly and Mark Kerslake, and Leslie and Lawrence Cancellieri.

The Newport Coast’s celebrity chef, Jamie Gwen, served as emcee conducting the auction. There was even a clam shell prize drawing, and every clam was a winner. Spotted in the crowd rockin’ to the sounds of the Tijuana Dogs were Patsy and Tim Marshall, Denise and Dan Tsujioka, Laura and James Baratta, Judi Jacobs and Don Spitz, and Sally and Randy Crockett.