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2005 Christmas Company Fashion Shows Feature Lily Pulitzer Resort Wear as Well as American Girl Designs for Children

NEWPORT BEACH, Calif., Sept. 21, 2005 (PRIMEZONE) -- The Junior League of Orange County, California, Inc., (JLOCC) 2005 Christmas Company will offer fashion shows featuring the latest in resort wear for adults as well as one of the nation's most popular design collections for children.

A Luncheon Fashion Show held at noon, Tuesday, October 18, ($30) presented by Newport Coast's Pink Wasabi will feature a preview of the 2005 Lily Pulitzer collection themed "Private Island Getaway" coordinated by Pat Perkowski of Fashion Forward. Items from the show will be available for sale before they are offered in stores. The event is being catered by Champagne French Bakery Cafe. Decor and candles for the table centerpieces will be provided by Gatehouse, an indoor/outdoor furniture and accessories store.

The American Girl Fashion Shows (10 a.m., 1 p.m., & 4 p.m., Sunday, Oct. 16 and 4 p.m., Monday, Oct. 17, $25) will showcase local youngsters wearing American Girl fashions. They will walk the runway cradling dolls dressed in matching attire. Meyerhoff's Fine Catering will provide late lunches and dinners at the events. Those who would like to preview the Christmas Company's 80-plus vendors can purchase Preferred Shopping Admission, which allows early entry and includes breakfast catered by Soiree. Gemologist Ann Whatu of Rafinity Jewelry designs will present her collection of fresh and funky jewelry at the event which starts at 8 a.m., Sunday, October 16, ($30); strollers are not allowed during the preview hours. Underwriting is provided by Green & Hall.

The Christmas Company will be open to the public Sunday, October 16-Wednesday, October 19, starting at 10 a.m. Closing hours are 6 p.m. on Sunday and Wednesday; 9 p.m. on Monday and Tuesday. General admission is $7 per person; $7 gift cards from national retailers such as Target, Sears, or Wal-Mart will also be accepted for admission; they will be donated to the victims of Hurricane Katrina. Tickets can be purchased online at www.jlocc.org or by calling (949) 263-3785.

The Christmas Company's opening night gala is scheduled for Saturday, October 15. More than 1,200 guests attended last year's premier event. VIP tickets, priced at $125 each, will provide access to an exclusive early reception and an extra hour (6-7 p.m.) to preview the silent auction and merchant booths. General Gala tickets ($75) will be available for the overall event starting at 7 p.m.

This year marks the 30th anniversary of The Christmas Company, which has raised millions of dollars for the benefit of the JLOCC's charitable projects. Additional sponsors for this year's event include Abbey Event Services, Fiji Water, Pavilions, Gallo of Sonoma, Ciroc Vodka, Targus and The Allergan Foundation. Current projects include Canyon Acres Children & Family Services; Court Appointed Special Advocates (CASA); Impact Orange County; Orange County Children's Therapeutic Arts Center; Casa Teresa Mentoring Program; Girls, Inc., Action for Safety Program; YMCA Youth Service Corps; and Bear Hugs.

The Junior League of Orange County, CA, Inc., (JLOCC) is an organization of women committed to promoting voluntarism, developing the potential of women, and improving the community through the effective action and leadership of trained volunteers. The members of the JLOCC share a vision of a community in which all children and adolescents are supported to flourish and realize their hopes and dreams and a vision of the organization in which each individual member is supported and encouraged to increase her experience, knowledge, and leadership skill set in the process of becoming an effectively trained community volunteer. To learn more about the JLOCC, call (949) 261-0823 or visit www.jlocc.org.

CONTACT:  Junior League of Orange County, CA, Inc.
          Susan Ballou
          (949) 477-3070
          susanballou@att.net