There’s no better way to commemorate a 10-year birthday than with a gala, so the Orange County Friends of St. Jude threw one for 300 of its closest pals at The St. Regis Monarch Beach—a prime spot for such a bash. Spotted among the crowd: Dana Agamalian, Julie Thornton Adams and event chairwoman Trish Coury, who mixed and mingled, dined and danced, and otherwise helped honor the milestone. But there were even more reasons to party, because 2012 also marked the golden anniversary of St. Jude Children’s Hospital, a pediatric treatment and research facility that continues to find cures and save lives—and we can’t wait to celebrate its achievements over the next 50 years. Photos by John Rinek