The Crowd: A fundraiser CHOC full of support

January 24, 2013|By B.W. Cook

CHOC President and CEO Kimberly C. Cripe and Heather Madden,… (Daily Pilot )

The operative word is ambitious. The result has been nothing less than extraordinary. Launched in the spring of 2010, Children's Hospital of Orange County created a fundraising campaign with the goal of raising $125 million to fund the remodel and restoration of Orange County's premiere pediatric health facility. Last Saturday evening in Newport Beach, close to 500 guests converged upon the Island Hotel for the fifth annual CHOC Cherishes Children gala, raising some $900,000 toward the ultimate campaign goal. Despite economic concerns, the figure is up from $600,000 raised from 2011 at the gala, an astounding increase.

The new health facility is set to debut Feb. 2 in Orange and open officially late in the spring. CHOC authorities are calling it "seven stories of cutting-edge care." The new children's hospital will serve the Orange County family as one of the most advanced pediatric-care centers in the nation. In addition, the fundraising campaign, which runs through June of this year, has as part of its goal establishing an endowment that will be used to recruit the top pediatric experts in both clinical research and patient care, in affiliation with the UC Irvine School of Medicine.

The 2013 gala was chaired by Heather Madden. Heather and her husband, Jim Madden, were among the premiere underwriters for the evening, joining major corporate sponsors Disneyland Resort and Harry Winston. As an aside, the big society news in the luxury diamond world this week concerns the purchase of the Harry Winston Diamond Corporation by the Swatch Group for a reported $1.2 billion. That's a lot of sparkle.

On hand to welcome the upbeat crowd was CHOC President and CEO Kimberly Cripe, making a major announcement concerning a $27-million gift from Newport Beach resident and retired businessman Bill Holmes. CHOC will name the new tower in honor of the gift. Spotted in the crowd were executive committee members Jill Bolton, Christine Bren, David Willis, Marsha Willis, Monica Furman, Kathryn Glassmyer Cenci and Kristina and Larry Dodge. The very philanthropic Dodge family has been in both the business and social news this month facing serious financial challenges. Despite these difficulties, both Kristina and Larry were front and center supporting the goals of CHOC, as they have always championed both the health and welfare of children in the community.

The gala evening at the Island Hotel presented a lifetime achievement award to the Sisters of St. Joseph of Orange, as well as the St. Joseph Hospital of Orange. Cripe expressed heartfelt gratitude for the dedication of the sisters, who have played a pivotal role in CHOC's history over decades, supporting not only the health of sick children seeking care at the hospital but also their families at a time of tremendous need. Joining in the celebration were Janet and Carl Nolet, Geri Kate and Frank Pearce, Sandra Segerstrom Daniels, Jennifer and John Condas, Leyla and Manny Khoshbin, Stephanie Argyros and Nicole and Reed McMackin.

THE CROWD runs Fridays. B.W. Cook is editor of the Bay Window, the official publication of the Balboa Bay Club in Newport Beach.

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