Observed

Rose Chegwin, Cheri Fleming, Brooke Mitchell, Gail Rocco-Mack & Dora Zavala

A Soroptimist event just isn't an event, it seems, without a dramatic thematic element. Recent memory recalls Hyatt-enclosed trips to Asia, a Shakespearian forest, the 1920s "prohibition" era (Yes, we did put "prohibition" in quotes on purpose. We're not saying that a Hyatt event and "consumption of the great social lubricator" go hand in hand, it's just that... Oh, wait. Yeah, that's what we're saying. Sorry.), and, most recently, an exotic tropical island. The auction luau was a great success that will benefit women and girls in our valley. Congrats to the gals of Sorop, especially Gail Rocco-Mack, the event chair.

Todd Smith, Crystal Lewis, Joshua Abramson & Bob Locke

And the SCV is put on the map (again) through the performance of a famous artist at the COC Performing Arts Center. Crystal Lewis, an internationally recognized faith-based singer, made her way to Santa Clarita, much because of the generous support from people like Joshua Abramson, owner of A.Allbright and SCV Arts.

And now a note for Carol Maglione of Newhall Land: Carol, picturing you shoving that oversized check into your sporty Valencia Acura makes us giggle, but the sentiment behind it chokes us up a wee bit. The large (in more ways than one) donation to Carousel Ranch was made at the nonprofit organization's Heart of the West event in August.

Carol Maglione

Mark DeMik, Becky Graham & Marianne Cederlind

For those of you who didn't make HOTW, it was a magical evening. We loved seeing sweetie-pie Rick Fung assist rider Shaleigh Rudy, who is sponsored by Lexus of Valencia. And we were proud to have representatives from Presenting Sponsor Mission Valley Bank on hand; that's Branch Administrator Marianne Cederlind and Branch Manager Mark DeMik showing off their fancy plaques. Not pictured anywhere here are Inside SCV Magazine Publisher and HOTW Event Chair Jeanna Crawford and Publisher and HOTW Auction Chair Therese Edwards. Therese was too busy savoring her third serving of Cowboy Cannoli courtesy of Michele Pastry Cafe to have her photo taken and Jeanna was too busy stapling 900 yards of fabric to a chain link fence. Needless to say, we had priorities.

Shaleigh Rudy & Rick Fung

Katie Edwards