On the Town: Hospital guild reorganizes its leadership

Although Burbankers don’t experience it as dramatically as those who live in the northeastern region of our country, which was unmercifully bombarded with frigid temperatures this winter, spring is the time of change.

Along with the environmental changes, it is also a time of leadership changes for members of the La Providencia Guild of Children’s Hospital Los Angeles, who bid adieu to their outgoing president and officers and welcomed those that will lead them over the next year at their annual reorganization meeting held this past Saturday at Glendale’s Oakmont Country Club.

Last week’s event saw Veronica Chavoor, outgoing guild president, pass the gavel to Joan Chandler, who, as the guild’s 68th president, will preside over the organization through the spring of 2016. She will be supported in her executive position by the guild’s 2015-16 officers composed of First Vice President Lynn White-Shelby, Second Vice President Lorelei Kelley, Secretary Glenda Jones, Treasurer Tanya Karn and Dorothy Austin, who will oversee the group’s public relations.

Chandler, who announced that her presidential theme will be “Cherish the Children With Loving Hearts,” is an alumna of Burbank High School. A member of the guild since 2001, she began her term by thanking her predecessor and the outgoing officers, Nancy Johnson and Deborah Spang, for their dedication and commitment to the guild.

Among those who participated in last week’s event were special guest Suzanne Lapis, who serves as the director of associates and affiliates for Children’s Hospital Los Angeles, and more than 100 guild members including Marilyn Teasley, Sharon Ranshaw, Judy Gragg, Sue Ann Gordon, Gene Marie Watson, Donna Sagona Salant, Rosemarie Witten, Ann O’Donnell-Gardner, Doris Palmer, Mary Jo Hjelmstrom, Katherine Richards, Pat Maskell, Dee Dee Rowlands, Nancy Gams Korb and Chris Welker.

This year’s meeting also saw the recognition of four members, Mary Brunner, Anita Daniel, Mavien Ready and Shirley Mae Ricketts, who have been a part of the guild for 40 years. Also recognized were new associate members Sandy Adams, Daina Burness, Cynthia Ann Faust, Kathleen Field, Debbie Fleiner, Jill Kessler, Nancy Lee-Wintering, Carrie McCoy, Mary Nelson, Nanci Ortega, Katherine Roark-Schwartz, Andrea Seward, Janet Stearns and Sandy Trainor.

With the guild’s new officers duly sworn in, the philanthropic group will now turn their focus to their annual spring social that will be staged under the theme “That Old Black Magic.” One of the guild’s two major annual fundraisers, this year’s social will be co-chaired by Malena Tappan and Mary Hurst and take place at the Castaway Restaurant and Special Events Center on June 7.

The mission of the Burbank-based guild, chartered by Children’s Hospital Los Angeles in 1947, is to foster interest in the work of the renowned pediatric medical facility and to assist by contribution of service and funds raised through their Burbank Boulevard thrift shop and fundraising events they stage throughout the year.

The guild’s current and ongoing project includes raising funds for Children’s Hospital Los Angeles’ Associates Rehabilitation Center Caregiver Wing and the Associates Sarcoma Program.

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DAVID LAURELL may be reached by email at dlaurell@aol.com or (818) 563-1007.