Beneficiaries Receive Shares From Jewel Ball
At a chic little lunch given last week in the library at La Valencia hotel, last August’s “Bella Serra” belatedly dawned as a sunny buon giorno for the beneficiaries of Las Patronas’ 44th Jewel Ball.
This was the day that the noted La Jolla philanthropic group--whose annual fund-raiser traditionally ranks among the top 10 most-profitable in the United States--distributed checks to its major beneficiaries.
Seven charitable organizations, this year heavily weighted on the side of human-care agencies, received a total of $200,000. Several dozen minor beneficiaries, while not invited to the luncheon, already have been selected to share the remaining proceeds from “Bella Serra’s” net earnings of $415,000.
Las Patronas member and former Junior League president Susan McClellan, who chaired Bella Serra, said that the luncheon was “one of the two big days that we worked toward.
“In fact, today really is the highlight of ‘Bella Serra,’ ” McClellan added. “Meeting the beneficiaries face to face gives us the opportunity to see the real impact of the ball.”
Anne Coleman, president of Las Patronas, echoed McClellan’s comments.
“This is a very special day for the membership, one of the most exciting days that we have each year and one that we look forward to because it is the culmination of the 12 months of effort we put into making the Jewel Ball what it is,” she said. “Distributing the money into the community is our celebration of the ball.”
The seven major Bella Serra beneficiaries--each of which received at least $10,000--included Episcopal Community Services, San Diego Center for Children, San Diego Hospice and the San Diego Youth and Community Services, which requested and received funds with which to remodel its Bridge shelter for runaway youth. The new space also will double the agency’s capacity for outpatient services, and SDYCS director Liz Shear said the promise of the Las Patronas grant enabled her organization to successfully request a state grant.
The YWCA of San Diego County received funding sufficient to purchase a computer system that will be devoted to keeping records of the clients in its programs for women who are battered, homeless or in transition.
YWCA executive director Janie Davis said that the system also will facilitate production of the statistical reports required by various funding bodies.
“There’s no way we would have had this system without Las Patronas, which is moving us light years ahead of where we are at present,” Davis said. “It’s really one of the neatest gifts we’ve ever received. What’s so wonderful about it is that a group of women whose houses are in order are helping women whose houses never have been in order.”
Marge Palmer, who will chair the 45th annual Jewel Ball this August, announced at the luncheon that her event will have the name “Circus.”
“The ballroom will have a New Age, Cirque de Soleil look,” she said. “It will be sophisticated, high-tech and sleek, with a lot of energy and excitement.”
This event’s major beneficiaries and projects were also announced that day. They include a new air-conditioning system and roofing for the Athenaeum, Library Assn. of La Jolla; the purchase of clinical and forensic equipment for a child-protection room at Children’s Hospital and Health Center; construction of a room in the new communications center at KPBS/TV-FM; furniture and fixtures for the new night shelter at the Rachel’s Women’s Center operated by Catholic Charities, and funding for the restoration of the main deck of the Star of India.
The guest list included Glenn Allison, Jean Serafy and Dr. Brett Pickering of Episcopal Community Services; Dr. Mark Hopper and Glen Roberts of the San Center for Children; Allan Shaw, interim executive director of the San Diego Natural History Museum, which received funding for a mine tunnel exhibit, and Jerry Zeller, San Diego director of World Impact Inc., which received a van to transport children who live in high crime neighborhoods on field trips and other activities.
Among Las Patronas members attending were Lynne Hall, Melesse Traylor, Sally Bucko, Edie High Sanchez, Cathy Saris, Sukey Beasley, Hilary Brady and Judi Strada.
SAN DIEGO--University of San Diego President Author Hughes and his wife, Marge, had every intention of noting the changes that have occurred during their 20 years at USD when they entertained 275 university trustees and benefactors at the annual President’s Dinner, given on campus last Saturday in the Ernest and Jean Hahn University Center.
What the Hughes did not anticipate was a neat turning-of-tables in which they themselves were feted for two decades of service. This particular twist was the idea of Sister Virginia McMonagle, assistant vice president for university relations, who planned the details of the occasion.
“We’re going to flip the coin and salute Art and Marge tonight,” said McMonagle during the cocktail reception. “They’ve been outstanding leaders for USD for 20 years. It’s a rare couple who can be said to have influenced education to such a degree, not only in San Diego and the country, but, I think I may say, in the entire world.”
The surprise took place just before the dessert course of a chicken Veronique dinner, which was served at tables elegantly set with slender arrangements of pure white blossoms that, presumably inadvertently, suggested ivory towers. McMonagle offered a toast that ushered in both a 2Oth anniversary cake in the shape of chocolate book filled with raspberries, and a portrait of the Hugheses. The portrait was presented to the couple as the guests laid into miniature copies of the cake.
Earlier in the evening, Author Hughes described his years on campus as a time of significant change.
“This university has come to have its own character, its own identification,” he said. “What I’ve tried to do is help USD grow from its emphasis on liberal arts to values education, and to look at each student in a holistic manner. For the future, we have a need to educate our students globally.”
Such weighty matters were not overly emphasized to the guests, however, who whiled away the time between courses and after dinner dancing to The Music People.
The guest list included retired Bishop Leo T. Maher; USD board of trustees chairman Ernest Hahn and his wife, Jean; Dan and Pat Derbes; Kim Amory with Marco Alessio; Helen Anne Bunn; Betty and Al DeBakcsy; Walt and Betty Zable; Donald and Darlene Shiley; Frank and Elsie Weston; Ross and Betty Tharp; George and Josephine Fletcher; Ruth and Jim Mulvaney; Charles and Maureen King; Richard and Virginia Grihalva; Larry and Lee Cox, and Falck and Charlotte Neilsen.
