Cystic Fibrosis

Costa Mesa resident Charles Bauknecht ended his journey for cystic fibrosis Sunday morning. Bauknecht, a 34-year-old personal trainer, attempted to run three consecutive marathons in an attempt to raise $30,000 for cystic fibrosis. He started running Saturday night around 10, and joined competitors in the Surf City Marathon Sunday morning. Before he started running, Bauknecht estimated he?d raised about $20,000 for his cause. Cystic fibrosis is a chronic genetic disease that affects the lungs and digestive system.

It has been a personal crusade. Sue Hook and her husband, David , of Newport Beach stood before the crowd assembled for the 25th annual gala in support of cystic fibrosis research and told the crowd they had raised an astounding net amount of $722,000. “We are thrilled beyond description,” Sue Hook said, fighting back tears. The evening filled with high spirits unfolded at the Newport Beach Marriott Hotel at Newport Center. Hook shared that the first unexpected challenge of the night took place about 7 p.m. when she was informed that her long-standing emcee and auctioneer Shawn Parr was suffering from severe food poisoning and was unable to attend the event.

Send AROUND TOWN items to the Daily Pilot, 330 W. Bay St., Costa Mesa, CA 92627; by e-mail to luis.pena@latimes.com; by fax to (949) 646-4170; or by calling (949) 574-4298. Include the time, date and location of the event, as well as a contact phone number. SUNDAY The 15th Taste of Newport, featuring food samplings from more than 30 local restaurants, spectacular live entertainment, more than 15 wineries, cocktails and beers, will conclude today at Fashion Island.

There are two children, a boy and a girl, with cystic fibrosis. For Christmas, their uncle Keith will try to help them by raising funds in a golf tournament today. Keith Wyrick, the affable and longtime Newport Beach Golf Course starter and course record holder, has created a mini senior tour event -- the inaugural Holiday Invitational Pro-Am (9 a.m. shotgun start). With a $2,000 purse at stake for senior golfers, Wyrick has blended three concepts -- a senior tournament, a fund-raising vehicle for a cystic fibrosis charity and a family theme.

Richard Dunn As we said farewell to the last tournament of the 1900s in the Newport-Mesa golf community, Keith Wyrick of Newport Beach Golf Course staged quite a closing act. Wyrick, who beat the bushes hard on the Southern California senior circuit in '99, captured first place in his own event, the inaugural Holiday Senior Classic Pro-Am, for his unofficial 20th victory of the year. A scrapper around the golf course with a short backswing like Allen Doyle on the Senior PGA Tour, Wyrick founded and organized the Holiday Classic Pro-Am Dec. 23 to raise funds for his niece and nephew who suffer from cystic fibrosis.

The Toshiba Senior Classic begins its three-day golf tournament at Newport Beach Country Club on Friday, but festivities begin Monday as the players show up to practice and get ready not only for the event, but also for pro-amateur rounds. Hoag Hospital, the event's lead charity, has organized the tourney over the last five years, raising about $4.7 million for more than 20 charities. The tournament hopes to raise another $1 million this year that will be given not only to Hoag's foundation, but also to: the Toshiba Senior Classic Scholarship Fund; Orangewood Children's Foundation; Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation; Cystic Fibrosis Foundation of Orange County; Explorer Scouts of Orange County and Los Angeles Conservation Corps.

Elia Powers It's 7:30 p.m. on a Wednesday, and pockets of dancers in street clothes are fine-tuning their turns and learning their stage cues. A former Laker Girl glides across the floor. An attorney kneels and twirls his wrists frantically. A chiropractor rushes to the middle of the room to strike his final pose. They are all dancing to Cole Porter's ditty "It's De-Lovely" -- trying to look delightful while pushing themselves to "de limit." "It's amazing how people who haven't sung for years, or who don't feel comfortable at first, loosen up right away in this setting," said CHOC Follies Executive Director Gloria Zigner.

"Imagine knowing that every single day, you are in a race for your life," the Cystic Fibrosis Foundation says. "What does it take to win?" The scientists, administrators and volunteers respond, "It takes determination, endurance and a spirit of optimism." Newport Beach CF activists Sue and Dave Hook mustered a major supply of determination, endurance and optimism to rally community support for the 20th anniversary gala presented by the Cystic Fibrosis Guild of Orange County.

COSTA MESA — Holiday shoppers dined on southwestern Caesar salad, wild mushroom enchiladas and blackened catfish tacos while Sara Tengelsen, 15, and her mother, Terrie Tengelsen, waited. The two sat in Z'Tejas Southwestern Grill among wrapping paper printed with metallic silver snowflake, Santa Claus riding his sleigh and Frosty the Snowman; ribbons of different colors and textures; and scissors, tape and gift tags. Although no one came during their shift Saturday afternoon, the Tengelsens were volunteering to wrap presents for South Coast Plaza shoppers for a donation to the Cystic Fibrosis Foundation of Southern California.

The 28th annual gala in Newport Beach on behalf of cystic fibrosis research and a cure raised an impressive $603,000 net. More than 400 generous guests in early summer black tie and glitter helped to gather the significant sum, via underwriting and auction bidding, at the Newport Beach Marriott Hotel and Spa on June 4. It was a party with purpose and passion. Each year organizers, led by Cystic Fibrosis Guild of Orange County President Sue Hook , select the recipient of the "Breath of Life Award.

NEWPORT BEACH — Hearing the word "treatment" spurs a Pavlovian-like response in Beckett Williams that is as natural to him as sitting at the table for dinner or going to bed at night. The blond-haired, pink-cheeked toddler, who is nearly 2, will attempt to hook up a machine that shakes him as he breathes in medicine in its efforts to break up the thick and sticky mucus in his lungs caused by cystic fibrosis. "He doesn't know any different," said Amy Williams, his mother.

The 27th annual Cystic Fibrosis Gala unfolded at The Newport Beach Marriott Hotel & Spa, drawing a sellout crowd of 440 donors and raising an impressive $731,000 net for cystic fibrosis research and care. Chaired by Dan and Gayle Demsher with support from gala committee members Karen Hall , Nancy Mallory , Katie Horwich , Dean Gerrie , Danni Good , Gail Isen , Stephanie Kahle , Helen Johnson and C.F. Guild President Sue Hook , the party was one of the best in recent memory.

NEWPORT BEACH — Invitees to Saturday’s “Pipeline to a Cure” event had the rare privilege of spending a fun day learning stand-up paddling, surfing’s fastest growing permutation, from some of the world’s best. The Newport Aquatic Center was host for the occasion which served to promote PTAC’s upcoming Gala Event, July 18 at the Huntington Beach Hyatt Regency, benefiting the Cystic Fibrosis Foundation. Cystic Fibrosis is a life-threatening genetic disease that affects about 30,000 children and adults in the United States.

A Newport Beach woman will have one of her culinary creations featured on the menu of a prominent chain restaurant in South Coast Plaza after being selected from a pool of 25 contestants in a cooking competition. Doris Kwon, who lives in Newport Coast and teaches cooking classes at Sur La Table in Corona del Mar, edged out the other three finalists in a chile-themed dessert-making contest at Z’Tejas restaurant Wednesday night. Kwon’s chocolate crème de pot, flavored with ancho chiles, will be featured on the restaurant’s special menu in September along with other peppery items.

It has been a personal crusade. Sue Hook and her husband, David , of Newport Beach stood before the crowd assembled for the 25th annual gala in support of cystic fibrosis research and told the crowd they had raised an astounding net amount of $722,000. “We are thrilled beyond description,” Sue Hook said, fighting back tears. The evening filled with high spirits unfolded at the Newport Beach Marriott Hotel at Newport Center. Hook shared that the first unexpected challenge of the night took place about 7 p.m. when she was informed that her long-standing emcee and auctioneer Shawn Parr was suffering from severe food poisoning and was unable to attend the event.

Singing since she was a small child, Kayla Young has dreamed of the day she would be sitting in a studio, laying down tracks of her own songs. Recently, Young got her wish — with a little help from a group of girls at Corona del Mar High School. Young was diagnosed with cystic fibrosis when she was 2 years old and has lived with the lung condition all her life. Last August, her doctor notified her of the opportunity to be a part of the Make-A-Wish program, and they quickly put together a chance for Young to fulfill the wish of her choice.

Costa Mesa resident Charles Bauknecht ended his journey for cystic fibrosis Sunday morning. Bauknecht, a 34-year-old personal trainer, attempted to run three consecutive marathons in an attempt to raise $30,000 for cystic fibrosis. He started running Saturday night around 10, and joined competitors in the Surf City Marathon Sunday morning. Before he started running, Bauknecht estimated he?d raised about $20,000 for his cause. Cystic fibrosis is a chronic genetic disease that affects the lungs and digestive system.