Wednesday, January 7, 2015 19 Features & Business

Children’s Hospital Oakland How to spend $50 million? Focus on the kids 100-year-old volunteer organization Children’s Hospital Oakland was at room visitors will be added. a difficult place a few years ago. Man- A new rehabilitation center will looks to the future dates from the state said that it had to be added to the outpatient site, so that bring its facility up to new earthquake kids with crutches or wheelchairs can Today’s Winter organizers safety standards, and local opposition learn to handle curbs, sand and bus are no less committed to the mes- kept it from going to the local mar- stops. The pediatric and neonatal inten- ket for bond funding. Huge expenses sive care units will change from their sage that the event is to benefit a loomed, yet, with 70 percent of its current “ward” design to individual vital institution of the East Bay. patient base receiving Medi-Cal assis- rooms, so that children and their fami- From an informational meeting tance, the hospital had no way of pay- lies can have privacy. In addition, there in January, where doctors stress ing for the retrofit. will be seismic improvements. their gratitude for the funds pro- Thankfully for the children of the In Phase 2, the hospital will add vided through the ball, to special East Bay and their families, the UCSF more single rooms for patients, and tours for participants and philan- Benioff Hospital was looking for a build a second Family House. The ex- thropic gatherings, Hill Branch partner – one that would improve its pansion will allow the hospital to bet- brings the message of the value of focus on children’s services. ter define in-patient services. Perhaps the hospital to a new generation Last year, UCSF Benioff gave most exciting for staff, the hospital will each year. Children’s Hospital Oakland $50 mil- re-orient its entrance back to its origi- lion – its largest single infusion of cash nal entrance, facing the lovely magno- support ever, according to Betsy Biern. lia tree. Today’s members Use of the funds will be staged. In The hospital built by women has With 40-plus active mem- Phase 1, the hospital will build a sec- never forgotten its history. This return bers, and an equally large group ond outpatient building that will be at- to its former entrance will remind vis- of associate members who still tached to the existing outpatient build- itors and staff alike what an amazing offer time and financial support, ing. Across the street at the hospital, community institution Children’s has members bring their expertise ground-level parking for emergency been and will continue to be. as accountants, business owners, A photo of from the 1960 Winter Ball. marketing consultants, lawyers and designers to find ways to sup- their time to the organization, and Being part of the Winter Ball is By Rachel Parker port the hospital and minimize I am very proud of the work that a two-fer, she has said many times: We think of our nation as expenses. we do,” adds Pamela Stefan, an Hill Branch organizes a beautiful founded by men of will and de- “No matter what job you take Orinda resident who is this year’s celebration for local families, and termination. But when it comes on as a branch member, you will Hill Branch president. the hospital gets the funds. to health care for children in the effect change,” says Joan Deuel, “It is all about the kids and the East Bay, we can thank the strong- who joined a junior branch while Reaching beyond hospital,” says Faust. willed mothers and sisters who in high school, then joined Hill the inner circle launched Children’s Hospital and Branch some 20 years ago. Deuel, Hill Branch’s only fundraising Tweaking the formula then sustained it with relentless who lives in Dublin, has worn activity today is the Winter Ball, Traditions within Hill Branch fundraising and volunteer hours. all the leadership hats during her an elegant evening celebrating the and the Winter Ball are deep, In 1912, the Baby Hospital of time in Hill Branch, from Ball young people of the community yet, like a favorite menu, Alameda County – now known as Chair to President of the branch. without the distraction of an auc- traditions can be tweaked and UCSF Benioff Children’s Hospital Today, she serves on the Branches tion. The 500-guest event takes 10 formulas can be updated without Oakland – was opened in the for- Board, which annually approves months and hundreds of volunteer losing the overall impression. In- mer home of the McElrath fami- the allocation of $1 million as a hours to organize. While actual vitations to the Winter Ball are ly on the border of Oakland and gift by the branches to the hospi- proceeds depend on the number still addressed by hand, and for- Berkeley. The brainchild of Ber- tal. of participants and guests, the mal attire is requested at the ball. tha Wright, a visiting nurse in Al- “Everyone takes full responsi- Winter Ball has brought in more “Some traditions just add to ameda County, the Baby Hospital bility and credit for the decisions than $1 million since its 50th An- the elegance, and everyone can grew from a good idea to an insti- of what to fund,” Deuel says. “Ev- niversary in 2008. Organizers be- enjoy them,” says Deuel. tution almost overnight, thanks in eryone feels responsible for the lieve that the grand total of gifts New twists in keeping with to- large part to broad support from choices we make.” to Children’s through the Winter day’s world, such as an “after par- the women of the East Bay who The Branches Board also Ball is nearly $6 million. ty,” have been added to the Ball, sponsored the project. serves as a critical communica- Because costs for the event con- giving young people a time to Two years later, modeled on tions conduit between the hospital sistently march upward, branch dance and mingle after the formal the “Twigs” of community sup- administration and the volunteers. leadership is considering ways to ball has ended. Both members port for a New York hospital, Anian Tunney being escorted by Deuel and her counterparts at the increase sponsorship and other and participants focus much more branches were formed to organize her father, Walter Pettit, at the other branches report on changes community support, so that ticket on hands-on philanthropy than volunteers, who created fundrais- 1966 Winter Ball. at the hospital and issues that the prices and fees paid by in days of old. Early Hill Branch ing and philanthropic efforts. hospital is facing. families can hold steady. members could not have foreseen While several of the branches Winter Ball “The branches are a good This year, 20 young women use of email or social media, but formed in 1914 have ceased to ex- In 1958, Hill Branch again fol- entry point to supporting a com- and their families from across the they would approve of their usage. ist, Hill Branch, with membership lowed an East Coast–model and munity institution,” says Betsy Bay Area will participate in the As Hill Branch is celebrating throughout the East Bay, has been started the Winter Ball, a black-tie Biern, Senior Vice President and ball. As in years past, the partic- 100 years of service to UCSF in continuous operation. debutante ball that raised money Chief Development Officer of ipants attend colleges and univer- Benioff Children’s Hospital Oak- for the hospital through ticket sales Children’s Hospital and Research sities from Los Angeles to Bos- land, its many active, associate Always about the kids and participant fees. During the Center Foundation. “Members ton, and are studying everything and past members are proud of The founding members of Hill bleak winter months, while most get to do something with their from international relations to art Hill Branch’s long association Branch shared a sense of social re- high school seniors are waiting to friends. And whether they learn and engineering. with the East Bay. At the same sponsibility and the care of babies hear from colleges, Hill Branch more about the hospital through While the debutantes will wear time, Winter Ball guests, alumna and young children. The original continues to ask young women and a tour or because they have tak- white and gloves, as the and their families can be proud of organizing documents state that their families to put aside that anx- en their own child to the hospital, original debs did in 1958, the the support and awareness their Baby Hospital of Alameda County ious feeling for a bit, to focus on they build a deeper understanding modern Winter Ball is not about participation has generated for the was to care for “sick babies with- the coming December and to take of what the institution does.” exclusivity or social status. In- hospital during the past 56 years. out regard to creed, nationality, or the opportunity to celebrate the Many Hill Branch members stead, the organizers emphasize “We welcome families who race.” In its first year, the hospital launch of these young adults while join because their child was treat- the opportunity for families to would like to support Children’s served more than 6,000 patients raising money for Children’s. ed at the hospital, and they saw celebrate the “launch” of these through the Winter Ball,” says – and ran a deficit of $1,200 per “These girls have made choic- first-hand the benefit of having young women while raising mon- Faust. “We know participation in month. es – from deciding to take AP U.S. equipment sized just for kids, and ey for the hospital. the Winter Ball is a great begin- The branches’ fundraising en- History to going out for crew to professionals who understand that “These young women have ning step toward more involve- terprises started with a with a deciding which college is the best babies cannot be told to do some- exciting careers ahead as prose- ment with our treasured commu- country store theme. Each branch fit for them,” says Sally Mehaffey, thing “because it is good for you.” cutors, technology entrepreneurs, nity resource.” offered items for sale, such as a long-time Hill Branch member Others join because of a family diplomats and environmental ac- Who wouldn’t want to follow jams, aprons, or dolls. The early and co-chair of this year’s Winter legacy of support for Children’s. tivists,” said Kate Faust, a long- in the footsteps of Bertha Wright Hill Branch members sold “bou- Ball. “Each family is making a time Hill Branch member from and the other dedicated and in- doir goods” at their table – hot substantial commitment to Chil- It was the risk of losing the Piedmont who serves as mar- spiring women of the East Bay? It water bottle covers and nightcaps. dren’s Hospital. We are proud of institution that brought Kather- keting chair. “What brings them might even be worth a waltz les- Raising money was not enough; that.” ine Glaessner of Oakland to Hill together is a commitment to the son or two. the branches also established a set In a 1960 article on fund- Branch just a couple of years ago. hospital, not a social register.” For more information about of rules for members so that mon- raising, a branch officer wrote, “I wanted to do what I could And while the event is clear- Hill Branch, Winter Ball, or ey would not be spent on branch “While the event is being sold, it to assure that Children’s stays in ly not for everyone, Dr. Barbara UCSF Benioff Children’s Hospi- operations needlessly. is also of paramount importance Oakland,” she said. Staggers, head of Children’s men- tal Oakland, visit www.chohill- The deficit was made up and to sell the Hospital and what it is “I am constantly inspired by tal health clinic, wishes it were. branch.com or send an email to the Baby Hospital stayed open. doing for the children of the com- this group of accomplished and Young people need to be honored [email protected]. munity.” busy women who give so much of as they reach milestones.