Tiger roars to support new youth center

International golf celebrity Tiger Woods, who is often spotted

working out on the greens of Newport Beach’s Big Canyon Country Club,

will host what is being called inaugural Block Party at the Grove of

Anaheim.

The event is set to take place Oct. 1, and funds raised will

benefit the Tiger Woods Learning Center in Anaheim. The

35,000-square-foot youth facility, being built at a cost of $25

million, will open in 2006.

“My goal is for the block party to become an annual Orange County

event that celebrates the community and the young people served by

the learning center,” Woods said, according to a written statement.

The block party will begin with a golf exhibition at Pelican Hill

in Newport Coast, led by Woods and fellow PGA Tour pro Fred Couples.

Following the exhibition, participants will enjoy 18 holes of golf.

and then join Woods for dinner and a charity auction (silent and

live) at the Grove of Anaheim to help raise funds for the final phase

of construction for the learning center.

The highlight of the evening will be a live performance by Melissa

Etheridge, who will share some of her hit songs with the crowd.

Woods has made an impressive effort to give back to society. His

sincerity, generosity and goodwill have made him an ambassador of

humanity, bringing people together.

His vision for the Orange County center is “to provide youth from

diverse backgrounds an interactive enrichment program that will

improve individual aptitude in reading, math, science and

technology,” said spokesperson Jennifer Litt.

With Woods, Couples and Etheridge at the front, this event will

certainly be a highlight, kicking off the fall social season in the

O.C.

For more information, please contact Emily Anderson at the Tiger

Woods Foundation at (714) 816-1806.

A very special dinner took place recently at the residence of

Donald and Julie Jacobs. Ten couples donated $1,000 each to share an

evening of fine food, wine and conversation, with the $10,000 going

to benefit HomeAid America.

Established in 1989 as a nonprofit organization by the Building

Industry Assn. of Southern California, HomeAid assists temporarily

homeless men, women and children all across America, including right

here in our own backyard.

You could call the affair a very personal charity ball, a unique

concept designed to bring together friends to do some good and have a

memorable experience as well.

The concept was the brainchild of Don Jacobs, the president of

JZMK Partners, an architectural firm based in Irvine. Jacobs invited

Luciano Zamboni, a celebrated chef from Mendocino, Calif., to prepare

and serve the meal.

Luciano and his wife Pauline have worked together at their

Mendocino County bed and breakfast, garnering attention from the Los

Angeles Times, the New York Times, Gourmet Magazine and Bon Appetit.

The Zamboni family also donated their talent, the food and the

wine, so all of the funds raised would benefit HomeAid.

Guests enjoyed a dinner that began with an appetizer of

o7carpacciof7, followed by a first course of o7pasticcio di

lasagnef7. The entree was a roast suckling pig, accompanied by sweet

red onion confit, new potatoes and o7broccolo alliagrof7.

As diners raved over the food and wine, the hosts also put on a

little charity auction with travel and dining options going up for

bid among the 20 guests. Another $6,500 was raised for HomeAid

through the auction.

For more information on HomeAid, please call (714) 622-6822.

Think about planning your next dinner party at home to help those

less fortunate. What a great concept.

* THE CROWD appears Thursdays and Saturdays.