Tradition
Rady Children’s Hospital
Glitter
in
the
Air
The 110th Anniversary Charity Ball
T
he Charity Ball is one of our region’s grand expressions of commitment
to the children of San Diego. For more than a century, the volunteer-
organized Charity Ball has brought together community leaders and
supporters for a night of elegance and entertainment. It is one special
evening each year, but the night has long-lasting impact on the children
of our region.
In 1909, the first Charity Ball was held at the Hotel Robinson in downtown San Diego.
For a time, the event moved to the U.S. Grant Hotel and since 1912, all Charity Balls
with the exception of 1922, have been held at the Hotel del Coronado. The Ball took
a decade-long hiatus during the Depression and World War II, but returned with
renewed vigor in 1946. The Charity Ball has always supported children’s health and
since 1953, has exclusively benefited Rady Children’s Hospital – San Diego. Over the
years, net proceeds have increased significantly, raising millions of dollars for facilities,
programs and services, and top excellence in patient care.
70 GBSAN.COM | OCTOBER 2018
Charity Ball Past Chairs
The guiding light of each Ball has been
the Charity Ball 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 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