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