The Smoker raises dollars for scholars

More than two decades and counting, the Balboa Bay Club Gentleman’s Smoker celebrated another summer evening on the gold coast Aug. 5 by attracting more than 130 natty gents in blazers and pleated slacks, some even donning repp stripe bow ties. They helped raise upward of $45,000 for the Balboa Bay Club’s Student Scholarship Fund.

Hosted by Balboa Bay Club General Manager Malcolm Smith and Balboa Bay Resort General Manager Sam El-Rabaa, guests paid $250 and more per seat at the round tables fronting the bayfront as filet and lobster was served paired with exquisite wines by Trinitas, all under the supervision of executive chef Rachel Haggstrom.

Since its inception, the Smoker has been a success thanks to the emcee talent of John Wortmann, BBC board of governors chairman, and Peter Buffa, former mayor of Costa Mesa and financial wealth manager. The duo creates a comedic routine, part roast and part toast, that’s interspersed with managing to sell the assortment of auction items that bring in dollars for scholars.

The event was originally the brainchild of retired hotelier Henry Schielein, honorary goodwill ambassador of the Smoker. Schielein attended the evening joining a multitude of friends and community members. In the crowd were Steve Rosansky, Gary Sherwin, Ron Gold, Alex Luboff, Tim Busch, Kory Kramer, Steve Arnold, Scott Blakeslee, Javier Garcia, Todd Pickup, Sergio Antonocci, Don Bartolo, Tyke Camaras, Joe Moody and Gregson Hall.

Also front and center for the evening were Brad Hinman, Michael Newell, David Chou, Ed Welbourn, Steve Craig, Mike Lawler, Wes Hacker, Steve Tipple, John Newton, Gordon Strange, Tim Sample, Jordan Otterbein and Charlie Schuillo.

Major donations making the fundraising possible came from loyal supporters, including Pacific Hospitality Group, Cabo Villas Beach Resort and Spa, the Ritz-Carlton, Piero’s Italian Cuisine, Baccarat, the Waterfront Beach Resort, Fairmont Newport Beach, Cigar Guys and many more.

Throughout the evening an assortment of the world’s finest cigars were distributed and enjoyed by guests as the sunset faded into the ocean beyond. With the fundraising totals for 2016, the Smoker has contributed a significant amount of the scholarship funding that now exceeds $1 million for graduating seniors from the Newport-Mesa Unified School District.

At the end of each school year, a panel of judges interview scholarship candidates who are nominated by school counselors. Each candidate is judged on multiple levels of merit, including academic achievement, athletic accomplishment, leadership, community participation, creative and artistic pursuit, speaking and writing ability and financial need.

Scholarships are awarded in June during a family dinner banquet hosted by the Pickup and Martin families, owners of the Balboa Bay Resort. Awards range from multiple $1,000 grants to $2,500 semifinalists to six $20,000 finalists. Students attend a wide variety of colleges and universities in California and across the nation.

The BBC scholarships are among the most generous offered in the Newport-Mesa community.

--

B.W. COOK is editor of the Bay Window, the official publication of the Balboa Bay Club in Newport Beach.