Pasadena Heritage pays tribute to architect

From 1 to 4 p.m. Jan. 21, Pasadena Heritage presents “A Tribute to Julia Morgan.”

Morgan was California’s first licensed woman architect, known for her design of Hearst Castle in San Simeon, Calif.

She designed more than 700 structures and commissioned many YWCA buildings, including Pasadena’s former YWCA building.

Morgan designed that building in 1921. For years, however, the YWCA has been listed on Pasadena Heritage’s “Most Endangered” list because of neglect and deterioration.

With the city of Pasadena intent on acquiring the building, Pasadena Heritage is pleased to highlight the history of the landmark and Morgan.

Speakers at the event include Susan Mossman of Pasadena Heritage; Teresa Grimes of Galvin Preservation Associates; Ann Scheid, author of “Historic Pasadena;” Ana Maria Whitaker and Lauren Bricker of Cal Poly Pomona’s College of Environmental Design; and Jennifer Trotoux and Christopher Smith of Architectural Resources Group.

The program will take a historical look at Morgan’s life and body of work and examine the development and history of the YWCA building and its context within the Pasadena Civic Center Historic District.

The discussion is from 1 to 4 p.m. Jan. 21 at First Baptist Church Pasadena, 75 N. Marengo Ave.

Tickets cost $18 or $15 for Pasadena Heritage members. Reservations: (626) 441-6333 or visit pasadenaheritage.org.

Guild presents June Ball debutantes

The Pasadena Guild of Children’s Hospital introduced 12 of the 21 young women who will be the 2012 June Ball debutantes at a gala tea held Dec. 30 at the Valley Hunt Club.

The holiday tea was served by past presidents Rary Simmons, Lucy Crumrine, Jinny Dalbeck and Marcia Grace, and guild members Harriet Plunkett, Petrie Wilson, Connie Van Vorst and Sue Ball.

The event honored the young women, their mothers and grandmothers and was attended by active, sustaining and associate members of the guild. Also in attendance were guild President Becky Garnett, 2012 Ball Chairwomen Cindy Jenkins and Karen Sweeney, and Debutante Chairwomen Tory Howe and Millie Steinbrecher.

June Ball debutantes attending the tea were: Sarah Dolores Baggott of Pasadena; Cornell June Banta of Pasadena; Kelsey Virginia Buckner of San Marino; Kristen Elizabeth Clark of Pasadena; Jane Harrington Davidson of San Gabriel; Camille Wisnom Hooks of Beverly Hills; Caroline Carter Lehman of South Pasadena; Casey Kathleen McCloskey of San Marino; Sarah Elizabeth Patterson of Pasadena; Avery Michelle Rhodes of Pasadena; Olivia Diane Fern Russak of Pasadena and Caroline Craig Vettese of Pasadena.

Other debutantes who were unable to attend the tea include Sarah Elizabeth Buckingham of Newport Beach; Lauren Grace Ferraco of San Marino; Mackenzie Ann Heaton La Cañada Flintridge; Courtney Claire Jobe of Washington, D.C.; Kelly Elaine McCandless of Ashland, Ore.; Paulina Marie Pinsky of Pasadena; Kathryn Morris Thomson of Pasadena; Emily Rosamond Walper of Pasadena and Annie Van Sant Wenzlau of San Marino.

Proceeds from the June Ball will support the Pasadena Guild’s current project, “The Pasadena Guild Endowment and Faculty Retention in Developmental Biology.”