Monday, July 11, 2011

A grand birthday party

The day was filled with the perfume of happiness....


Friday, July 1, 2011

Good morning, Dear Members,

The joy and grandeur of LPCH's incredible 20th Anniversary Celebration was the highlight of the month of June. LPCH tells us that 10,000 people visited and I'm willing to wager that a large number of them stopped by our Association of Auxiliaries' booth. The day was filled with the perfume of happiness and all one needed to be in style were sunglasses, a sun hat and a navy blue t-shirt with the colorful 20th anniversary logo!



The Auxiliaries’ booth was undoubtedly the prettiest, busiest and most welcoming of all. Beautifully decorated tables displaying our raffle prizes, baby blankets, christening gown, teddy bear, quilts and a children’s book all representing the heartfelt donations that members make for the patients. Inside the booth colorful posters were hung depicting each auxiliary’s fundraising projects.

Just outside the booth was our face painting station. This activity had long waiting lines all day. Many thanks to the talented teens who worked tirelessly transforming bright little faces into lions, sharks, kittens and princesses.


Display table with some of our wares Our face painting booth Gerry Nelson in hat in front of our booth


Pat Ogle, Barbara McCall, Sue Becker, Adrienne Bennett, Laurie Bailard, her lovely daughter, Julie, Margie Ambrunn from San Mateo/Burlingame auxiliary, Mary Hicks, Jane Andrews and Catharine McMahon who came directly from her 90th birthday party at Neiman Marcus, and I spent a good part of a very hot day baking 2000 Swedish ginger cookies (recipe from our cookbook) We packaged, labeled and sealed 1000 little bags. The cookies were enjoyed by at least 1000 people, more if they shared one of the two cookies in each packet! It was indeed a labor of love.

When you are in need of a special cake for a special occasion, please go to Kathy’s Kreative Kakes in San Mateo and tell them you are with PAA. This is the bakery that donated the use of their kitchen so we could make these cookies.

In addition to the 74 other booths representing LPCH’s various departments, outreach projects and a large entertainment stage, a Summer Scamper fundraiser was held. There was a 5K run and/or walk and a 10K run on a certified course through the lovely Stanford campus. San Francisco auxiliary, San Jose auxiliary and Palo Alto each had a team. Betty Plemons and 11 members of her family were Palo Alto’s team. Bravo Betty! There was also a “run” for 3-5 year-olds that lasted 10 minutes!

Betty Plemons and her "team"

From 9:30-5:00 we greeted all visitors who came by, shared with them the work that we do for LPCH and invited them to participate in the raffle. The cost of a ticket was their name and email address or phone#. 509 tickets were collected. Each auxiliary donated raffle prizes. Ours were 2 tickets to American Girl Fashion Show and Tea, 2 RwH meals and one copy of Tastes, Tales and Traditions. Our dear Dr. Harvey Cohen, Dr. Hugh O’Brodovich, physician-in-chief at Packard and Sherri Sager, a great supporter of the auxiliaries and one of the chief organizers of this birthday celebration, drew the winning tickets. The winners of our prizes were Julie Buckingham - won the RwH tickets and Soledad Damion –mother of one of the LPCH pharmacists – won our cookbook. A delighted Stacy Ashland and her 9-year-old daughter were winners of the American Girl Fashion Show and Tea tickets.

The American Girl Ticket Winners and friend!

Those who worked on this historic day are to be applauded. Take a bow Erika Crowley, Becky Yung, Kathy Squellati, Deborah Potash, Gerry Nelson, Luisa Pliska and Sarah Beetem. Erika Crowley and Shirlee Stites were our paparazzi. Be sure to click on sstitesphotos.smugmug.com to view the beautiful photos in Shirlee’s gallery celebrating this event.

It was truly a very special LPCH celebration and an incredible community outreach event. Waves of warmth, welcoming smiles and thank you’s flowed throughout the day. Ever so many parents and families shared with us their stories and gratitude for what we do. Many who had received our tote bags, bears and quilts at Christmas spoke of how much that meant to them at such a difficult time in their lives. It was a privilege and an honor for PAA to be part of so special a day. Thank you again to all who participated.

IMPORTANT DATES - PLEASE MARK YOUR CALENDAR (See website for details)

July 26 and 27 – Restaurants with Heart – at Mythos in San Carlos
August 2 – Pillow sewing and knitting at Thora’s

August 22 and 23 – Restaurants with Heart – at Scotts Seafood in Palo Alto

September 20 – General meeting at 1:00 at our new venue – Lucie Stern Center,P.A.
We will have 4 new potential members. Please come to welcome
them as well as hear important news on summer goings on and Fall plans

Always check the events page and the calendar on our website for important dates and details.

Please remember that even though it is "vacation time" we can still work to raise money for the children at LPCH: Bring friends to the RwH restaurants, work on your crafts for our December 3 boutique and sell our few remaining cookbooks. Soon we will be needed to work on our Membership Tea and American Girl Event .

DID YOU KNOW THAT:

Erika Crowley and Lori Walton, 20 years ago at the opening of the children's hospital
  • 20 years ago, Erika Crowley greeted people at the front door of the children’s hospital on opening day. One of the “guests” was Tom Campbell.
  • Adrienne Bennett attended the gala opening day banquet. She remembers Barbara Bush was one of the many dignitaries at the event.
  • Jackie Clark gave tours on that opening day. The guides were thoroughly rehearsed as to the tour route. The morning of the big day, they changed the route. Being directionally challenged, Jackie was a bit anxious when she learned Governor Pete Wilson and his wife were in her group and feared she would mess up!! Jackie recalls the sharp contrast between the warmth of the Children’s hospital to the gray, sterile halls of the main hospital. Apparently, Lucile Salter Packard traveled far and wide speaking with not only physicians but especially with the nursing staff. She was determined to have a children’s hospital that was child friendly and child oriented. Lo and behold the beautiful legacy she left us.
  • There is a lovely photo of Marilyn Anderson in the May 27th Palo Alto Weekly’s cover story of LPCH’s celebration. She is at the bedside of a mom-to-be instructing her on how to knit.
  • WAR HORSE, the incredible drama (for which my son, Greg, was the music director) won the Tony Award for best Drama. It actually won 4 other awards as well. It premiered in New York this year and is coming to San Francisco in August of 2012. I suggest you get your tickets as soon as they are available. It is theater at it’s best!
  • Nancy Larssen’s daughter’s weddingin June was held in Scandinavia. Sarah Beetem flew out for it.
There is more important news to share but I have "talked" much too long. All will be covered in the August Blog and at the Sept. 20th meeting at Lucie Stern but now....

JULY BIRTHDAY WISHES TO:
Nancy Dusthimer
Joanne Rutter
Barbara Sheldon
Marzette Woods
Shirlee Stites
Marlene Bolhoffer

Thank you to all who send me these delightful tidbits of news. Please remember, dear members – I always welcome your thoughts about and ideas for PAA.

Luisa