Auction in Otis/Parsons Picture

Those personal “we want you to join our table” notes that are popped in invitations with such loving care are being sealed up this week in The Group’s invitations for “W.A.T.A. Auction”--that’s wine, art and travel--on Nov. 13 at the Century Plaza Tower’s Century Room. New president Kathy Offenhauser is heading the effort with co-chairwomen Missy Stuart and Nancy Dowey.

The goal is $50,000 for the Otis/Parsons capital fund program and much additional money for fine arts scholarships.

Nancy Reagan’s former administrative assistant, Peter McCoy, is booked to auction three Andy Warhol prints, an Emerson Woelffer collage, designer clothes, vintage wines, luncheons and dinners on yachts and at celebrity homes and restaurants, stays at vacation homes in Palm Beach, Aspen, Cuernavaca and Breckenridge, Colo. and at hotels worldwide and a round trip to New York.

The committee spells success: Just a few--Marlene Billington, Charlotte Kalik, Broyna Pereira, Lillian Palmer, Madonna Matheson, Marilou Yoell, Georgette Hindson, Janet Wagenseller, Gloria Holden, Billie Converse, Ginny Rogers, Babe Eagle, Vonnie Flower, Ellen Clark, Carrie Ketchum, Ann Montag, Bridget Martens and Jeanne Sully.

OAK TREE’S 20: The elite from the world of thoroughbred racing, both human and equine, convened at Santa Anita for the launch of Oak Tree Racing Assn.’s 20th fall season. Oak Tree president Clement L. Hirsch and his wife Lynn had the prominent table to watch the $75,000-added Autumn Days Handicap. Sitting with them were Paul Deats, chairman of the California Horse Racing Board (he was preparing to ride in the Vaqueros del Desierto men’s ride in Tucson); Lillian Fluor, widow of Robert Fluor who was former chairman of the board; Joe and Barbara Harper (he’s a member of the Jockey Club and as manager of Del Mar Race Track was thrilled at the $6.9-million average handle per day this summer). Betty Strub, wife of Robert (president of Santa Anita, who was out of town), was circling and penciling equine weights and winning mightily.

The charity board was represented by Michael Morphy and Gretchen Seager and Fred W. Ryan, ex-Santa Anita president.

The Oak Tree racing secretary Thomas Robbins and vice presidents Dr. Jack Robbins and Georgia Ridder entertained friends, tempting them with executive chef Tony Pope’s blue point oysters, Bering Sea clams and roast Long Island duckling a l’orange.

Prominent in the crowd: Donald Valpredo, president of the California Thoroughbred Breeders Assn.; Frank E. Kilroe, Sallie Colmery, Vi Nason, Harold Ramser, Susan Tuttle, and commissioners Benjamin Felton, Dr. Henry Chavez, Rosemary Ferraro, Leslie Liscom and Bit Lansdale, with his wife Marianthi.

Missing at an Oak Tree opening for the first time was Louis R. Rowan, an original member of the board, who died recently.