Cottage Health’s annual Tiara Ball was in remission after COVID-19 had temporarily put the glamorous gathering on hiatus in 2021.
The ball at The Ritz-Carlton, Bacara Santa Barbara clearly made a total recovery, attracting more than 400 people in black tie and ball gowns.
The theme for the ball was a Constellation of Caring, and it highlighted the expertise supplied by not only the medical staff, but also the dedication of volunteers and donors.
Reflecting the theme, the ballroom was stunning, shimmering in blue and gold with great planetary globes hung from the ceiling.
And the dance floor — who thought up this idea? — was covered with silver contact paper. (Yes it worked, and no, it did not rip!) When people came up to dance, it was like swinging out on a silver cloud.
Kudos to Tiara Ball co-chairwomen Heather Hambleton and Lisa Iscovich and their committee: Gina Andrews, Katy Bazylewicz, David Dietrich, Mari McAlister, Sue Neuman, Alex Nourse, Cathy Quijano, Robin Sonner, Magda Stayton, Esther Takacs, Betsy Turner, Mary Werft and Margaret Wilkinson.
Cottage Health board chairman Steve Zola set the stage for the benefit by pointing out that everyone in our community needs, or needed, or will need critical care services.
And that was what this evening was all about … (well, besides the fancy tiaras and fantastic formals).
Next up to the podium was Ron Werft, Cottage Health’s president and CEO. Now, don’t let all that official title-ness mislead you — he was as amiable and enthusiastic as a game show host, and so clearly articulated what it means to be a community hospital.
“Caregivers … support staff … volunteers … donors,” he addressed the room, “… you all help us. Because it takes so many to care for our community in times of crisis, emergency and trauma.
“Some provide direct care at the bedside of patients, and others generously support lifesaving work. Each and every one makes a difference in countless lives.”
Werft also highlighted several interesting new developments underway at Cottage, among them:
- Adding a new Pediatric Residency program
- Planning for the future by developing the new emergency room to serve up to 75,000 annual patient visits (currently serving 44,000 annually; but designed to serve 25,000!)
- Offering virtual care medicine in Spanish
- Creating a new apartment to accommodate 12 patient families who cannot afford motels (26% of critical care patients come from outside Santa Barbara)
Did he mention donors? Ah, yes. The room gave a toast to the late great Leslie Ridley-Tree, a benevolent benefactor of the hospital and major player on the board as well as the annual Tiara Ball Committee.
Ridley-Tree — who died Oct. 3, 2022 — typically underwrote the entire long table of medical staff so they could attend the ball.
Her absence this year was truly noted, and I missed seeing her — impeccably dressed as always — often in gowns of brocade, and crowned with a tiara of the Real Thing.
This year, continuing that tradition, Linda Yawitz generously sponsored a table for the surgical residents.
Among the many donors recognized were Susie and Riley Bechtel, Christine and Reece Duca and Naomi and Ben Bollag.
The Bollags have annually expressed their appreciation of the staff and physicians for their “unfettered devotion and tireless loyalty to the community and their patients” with generous gifts to the hospital.
Therefore it seemed only fitting when Werft announced that Cottage will name its new ER Trauma Center after them!
But wait — there’s more! What about some of the many volunteers who are also an important part of this Constellation of Caring?
We would have be talking about Jelinda DeVorzon and Greg Faulkner, who served as co-chairs of Cottage’s Reaching Higher Together Campaign with the goal of raising the unbelievable amount of $130 million.
Well, it turns out they did not exactly do that . Instead, they raised $150 million, which I would like to point out is the largest sum ever raised for anything, anywhere, and at anytime in Santa Barbara.
The Constellation of Caring at Cottage does start with superior health care services. To bring home that point, a very moving video highlighted the case of Keilani Waxdeck, who was in attendance that night.
Waxdeck’s winning personality and cheerful disposition belied the horrific head-on car collision and traumatic brain and bodily injuries she sustained. She and her mother had unabashed praise for the great team that worked with her the first month following the crash.
“I have no words to describe what I felt seeing her here dancing and reunited with the incredible Cottage Hospital medical team,” family friend Nicole Sanchez, who served as the communication conduit for the family during her recovery, told friends.
Adding a little star power on the medical side of the Constellation of Caring, we have the “RN Babes of the SICU,” who ditched their surgical greens for fashionable frocks that were a little more “cutting edge” …
The room appreciated not only their enthusiastic devotion to their work, but it was delightful to see them shine in beautiful dresses.
Fittingly, the ER nurses present heart-stopping glamour. From left, Melissa Zaragoza, Leyla Abbassali and Sarah Flynn.
Didn’t I tell you the room looked stunning?
And as a final note (pun fully intended), the Tiara Ball always has The Best Dance Band every year. Ten pieces, including four singers, with plenty of swing, R&B, and covers to bop to. This was the perfect finish to a great night.
So the crowd danced the night away in good health and good cheer!
