FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
‘Unforgettable’ Crystal Ball will honor Dennis and Carolyn Lee
ARCADIA – Methodist Hospital’s 23rd annual Crystal Ball with headliner Natalie Cole is aptly themed An Unforgettable Night with Natalie Cole.
Set for Saturday, October 13, at the Pasadena Convention Center, the annual gala will honor former hospital president and CEO Dennis Lee and his wife, Carolyn, for their years of support for the hospital.
Dennis Lee retired in 2011 after 17 years as CEO, and Carolyn was an equally committed supporter of the hospital during the couple's two decades here.
It should be a truly unforgettable evening, thanks to the months of work by co-chairs John Wuo and Peggy Tsiang Cherng and their dedicated committee.
"It's really a great honor to join with Peggy in honoring Dennis and Carolyn, who have done so much for the hospital and for this community," Wuo said. "Dennis and I have been involved in various activities within the hospital and the community for a long time and I'm excited to be able to participate as co-chair for the Lees during Crystal Ball 2012."
Cherng also has worked closely with the Lees for many years, largely through her position on the hospital board. She says the Crystal Ball is a wonderful way to publicly express her appreciation for the hard work that the Lees put into making the hospital successful.
"During his many years here people really came together to make the hospital successful," she said. "Many exciting things happened during Dennis' tenure as CEO. He took Methodist Hospital to a new level, and I'm proud to help honor him and Carolyn."
Themselves devoted hospital and Crystal Ball supporters, Peggy and her husband, Andrew, were Crystal Ball honorees in 2004, and John and his wife, Jane, co-hosted the event in 2007.
This year’s proceeds will support the hospital's elite stroke program, designated an advanced primary stroke center for Los Angeles County by The Joint Commission and recent recipient of the American Heart Association/American Stroke Association’s Get With The Guidelines®-Stroke Gold Plus Quality Achievement Award. The co-chairs and their committee have set their sights on surpassing the $530,000 raised by last year’s event.
"Methodist Hospital is our community hospital," said Wuo, a longtime supporter. "I always wanted to help people in need, and Methodist Hospital is well known for the good work it does. The Crystal Ball does much to help it accomplish that work."
Cherng became involved with the hospital for much the same reason. "I wanted to give back to the community," she said. "Methodist Hospital is very important to me."
Wuo, immediate past chair of the Methodist Hospital Foundation board, is a former Arcadia mayor who currently serves on the city council. He has been a member of the foundation board since 2004, serves on the Cardiac Council and has supported many high-profile hospital programs, including The Next Generation of Care campaign for the new North Tower.
Through the years, Cherng has supported many of the same programs. Additionally, Cherng is co-founder of the Panda Restaurant Group, sponsor of the Panda Cares Charity Golf Invitational, which donates a significant portion of its tournament proceeds to Methodist Hospital.
"(Crystal Ball) is a very important event," Cherng said. "Once a year it gives us a great opportunity to showcase to the community what the hospital is all about. At the same time, it allows people to celebrate an organization that they enthusiastically support."
Wuo agreed. "The Crystal Ball has become a premier event in the San Gabriel Valley. While it continues to raise a good amount of money for the hospital, our goal first and foremost is for people to have a great time,” he said. “If they enjoy a great evening, everything else will fall into place."
The evening of fun and glamor will also include an elegant dinner, dancing and live and silent auctions. To request an invitation, please contact Gloria Rico at 626-821-2340 or crystalball@methodisthospital.org.
About Natalie Cole
Natalie Cole, daughter of jazz legend Nat King Cole, will perform hits that propelled her to fame in her own right – including "This Will Be (An Everlasting Love),” “Inseparable” and “Our Love.” She re-recorded standards by her father, resulting in such favorites as Grammy-award-winning "Unforgettable...with Love." Ms. Cole, who has many movies and television appearances to her credit as well as being the author of two bestselling books, has won nine Grammy awards throughout her illustrious career.
About Methodist Hospital
Founded in 1903, Methodist Hospital is a not-for-profit hospital licensed for 596 beds serving Arcadia and surrounding communities. Services include comprehensive acute care such as medical, surgical, perinatal, oncology, intensive care and complete cardiovascular services, including open-heart surgery. Methodist Hospital is an approved STEMI cardiac center, a certified stroke center and a center of excellence in bariatric services.
The hospital’s cancer center is accredited by the American College of Surgeons Commission on Cancer. Methodist Hospital is accredited by The Joint Commission, which accredits and certifies more than 19,000 health care organizations and programs in the United States. For more information, visit methodisthospital.org.
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