Missions of mercy

Suzie Harrison

Helping to save or enhance the life of a child in your own backyard

has been made easy and fun with the Queen of Hearts Guild “Heart and

Soul” benefit for Children’s Hospital of Orange County at Mission on

Feb. 18 at Tivoli Too!.

“Our mission is to nurture and protect the health of the children

of our community,” Lori Cole, president of Laguna’s Queen of Hearts

Guild, said. “Our guild is the oldest guild established. It has been

in existence since 1962.”

The first Children’s Hospital of Orange County was founded in

1964. Nearly 30 years later, in 1993, Children’s Hospital in Mission

Viejo opened its doors.

Twenty-one Laguna women are part of the guild that diligently

works to raise money for Children’s Hospital at Mission, a nonprofit

state-of-the-art medical institution that subsists solely on

donations.

That’s why fundraisers such as “Heart and Soul” are so important.

“CHOC is totally nonprofit,” Cole said. “They care for all

children regardless of their ability to pay. No child is turned

away.”

Benefit chair Mary Ferguson echoed Cole’s sentiments.

“Good medical care should never be based on someone’s income,”

Ferguson said. “All children deserve the same level of care.”

Ferguson said “Queen of Hearts” has raised well more than $1

million.

“The last couple of years we raised money to build and equip the

pediatric emergency room, solely for children,” Cole said.

It was the first Children’s Hospital in Orange County to open an

emergency room for children. The hospital also has a pediatric and a

neonatal intensive care unit and a medical surgical floor.

“I brought my newborn son to CHOC at Mission last year for some

routine X-rays and ended up, shockingly, having to admit him for

close to a month,” Laguna resident Cynthia Jenkins said. “But for

what appeared to be a desperate situation, the staff at CHOC

demonstrated the kind of commitment and precision that changed the

course of my son’s life.”

Jenkins said the hospital’s network of specialists, as well as its

permanent staff, set the bar for the family in terms of premiere

healthcare.

The hospital is expanding to meet the growing population needs in

Orange County.

“CHOC is building a tower to add more patient rooms, emergency

rooms and patient care rooms,” Ferguson said.

On a recent tour, Ferguson said she was so taken with the

children.

“They were grade-school-age, bald from cancer treatment, hooked up

to IV’s, standing playing video games,” Ferguson said. With a week to

take care of the last minute details for the “Heart and Soul”

benefit, Cole and Ferguson are looking forward to it.

Entertainment will include well-known local Pat Kollenda, as emcee

-- a woman of many artistic talents and guild member.

Performances will be from Laguna’s Roxana Ward, Laguna Tunes,

Gallimaufry Performing Arts doing “Duets -- Songs of Love, Life and

Marriage,” and the community band’s “Swing Set.”

Also performing will be the 40-plus member Men Alive Chorus.

“What struck me about this benefit is how generous people in

Laguna are,” Ferguson said. “The performers and the artists are

donating their time and work.”

Many well-known local artists have donated works to be auctioned.

“Heart and Soul” will be from 6 to 10:30 p.m. Tickets are $100 and

include dinner, wine, variety show and silent and live auctions.

Tivoli Too! Is at 777 Laguna Canyon Road. For information, e-mail

Mary Ferguson at mary@fergi.com.