GB Magazine December 2022 | Page 99

Charity Ball Chairmen
Ocean Ballroom in 1888
Hotel Del Coronado in the 1930s
Crown Ballroom in 1945
The guiding light of each Ball has been the Charity Ball Chairman . The longstanding tradition is that the title is and shall remain as “ Chairman .” The inaugural Charity Ball in 1909 was steered by Lena Sefton Wakefield , a vibrant and formidable woman who helped guide San Diego for more than 40 years . Proceeds from that first Ball were $ 1,570 ( over $ 50,000 in 2022 dollars ) and supported the infirmary at the San Diego Children ’ s Home . Lena ’ s mother , Harriet Lyle Sefton had been the infirmary ’ s original benefactor . The early Charity Balls provided seed money for what would eventually become the internationally recognized Children ’ s Hospital founded in 1954 , renamed Rady Children ’ s Hospital in recognition of a transformational investment made by Ernest and Evelyn Rady in 2006 . Other dynamic women would follow in Lena ’ s footsteps carrying the philanthropic torch of the Charity Ball comprising an impressive ledger of Who ’ s Who of San Diego . The Sefton family thread included Harriett Hollida Sefton-Campbell , Chairman in 1911-15 and 1918-19 ; Helen Wolcott Thomas Sefton , 1920 ; and with amazing dedication , Lena Sefton Wakefield Clark once again took the helm in 1946 . Other recognized names include Mabel Phillips Jessop in 1953 and Jean Utt Frazee in 1967 . The Charity Ball ’ s history is rich with a legacy of generous , influential families who have been the fabric of San Diego business and philanthropy .
Past Chairmen in 2022
DECEMBER 2022 | GBSAN . COM 99