Celebrated singer Natalie Cole will headline Methodist Hospital‘s 2012 Crystal Ball October 13 at the Pasadena Convention Center.
Grammy winner Natalie Cole
Aptly themed An Unforgettable Night with Natalie Cole, the 23rd annual event will honor former Methodist Hospital President and CEO Dennis Lee and his wife, Carolyn, for their many years of support for the hospital. Dennis 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.
John Wuo and Peggy Tsiang Cherng, both dedicated hospital supporters, are co-chairs this year. Cherng and her husband, Andrew, were Crystal Ball honorees in 2004, and Wuo and his wife, Jane, co-hosted the event in 2007.
The daughter of jazz legend Nat King Cole, Natalie Cole rose to prominence with hits such as “This Will Be (An Everlasting Love),” “Inseparable” and “Our Love.” She also 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.
Crystal Ball 2011 raised $530,000, and with Cole headlining this year’s event, the co-chairs and their committee members hope to surpass that amount. Proceeds will go to 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. “It’s 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,” she added, “it allows people to celebrate an organization that they enthusiastically support.” 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. 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,” said the former Arcadia mayor and current city council member. “If they enjoy a great evening, everything else will fall into place.”
The evening will also include an elegant dinner, dancing and live and silent auctions. For more information about sponsoring Crystal Ball or to request an invitation, please contact Gloria Rico at 626-821-2340 or crystalball@methodisthospital.org.