A red carpet, strewn with rose petals and framed by glittering candles, provided a stunning portal to the Candlelight Ball, with smiling beauties at every turn to show the way. Their charming hellos welcomed patrons to one of the most anticipated fundraising galas gracing San Diego’s bustling social events calendar. As she has over the past eight years, philanthropist and newspaper heiress Betty Knight Scripps served as General Chairman of the 81^st Annual Candlelight Ball, a celebration benefitting Scripps Memorial Hospital La Jolla.

The 81st Annual Candlelight Ball.

(For more event photos, go to: CAUSE.)

^{Cause for Celebration}

Hundreds of guests, sparkling in festive holiday attire, enjoyed cocktails and conversation in a baronial hall, chandeliers and sconces glowing, before being transported to the exquisitely appointed Grand Del Mar Ballroom. Strolling through a set of beautiful iron and glass double doors, patrons encountered a lush, floral fantasy: soaring table centerpieces presenting an alluring palette of coral, pink and cream, illuminated by gold votive candles; a stage swathed in fresh greenery entwined with twinkle lights and constellations of pink flowers; all set off by a perimeter of majestic palm trees.

Who Was There?: Betty Knight Scripps and Guest of Honor, Academy Award winner and La Jolla native, Cliff Robertson were counted among the Honorary Guests who turned out for the 2010 soiree. Congressman John Shadegg and his wife, Shirley, attended, along with Doug Manchester and Amanda Gunville, Sharon and Skeets Dunn, Jennifer and Mike Carroll, Larry and Linda Stirling, Patti and John Messerschmitt, Carmela and Miguel Koenig, Susan Kazmarek- Biddick and Craig Biddick, Margie and John Warner, Sandy and Peter McCreight, and Donna and Jack Morgan. Members of the Scripps Health Board of Trustees, including Gordon Clark, Martin Dickinson, Jon Lauer, Maureen Stapleton, Jeff Bowman, Robert Tjosvold, and Abby Weiss, were delighted to assume their roles as Candlelight Ball ambassadors, while Scripps Health President and CEO Chris Van Gorder recognized Scripps Memorial Hospital Chief Executive Gary Fybel and Chief of Staff Dr. Marc Sedwitz for their visionary leadership.

The Cause: Since opening its doors 86 years ago, Scripps Memorial Hospital has served as a beacon of quality health care in San Diego County. Founded by La Jolla philanthropist and civic visionary Ellen Browning Scripps, the hospital has evolved into a 43-acre campus, featuring a level II trauma center with 318 beds, more than 2,400 staff members and 900 affiliated physicians who care for 140,000 patients each year.

The Good-Hearted: It takes a village to host a successful gala, and the Candlelight Ball is no exception. The generous contributions of nearly two dozen sponsors and underwriters – including The Edward W and Betty Knight Scripps Foundation, M & T Foundation, Coast Environmental, XiMED, HOK & McCarthy, Union Bank of California, Westfield UTC, Progressive Management Systems, San Diego Magazine, and Ranch and Coast Magazine – brought this year’s celebration to life.

The Creative: Betty Knight Scripps collaborated with local florist Kathy Wright & Co. to create the gala’s magical ambiance of floral design and light, while a trio led by guitarist Bill Coleman and The Bob Hardwick Sound spun a joyful musical backdrop for the evening’s festivities. Channeling the energy of her team of staff and volunteers, Mary Braunwarth, Scripps Memorial Hospital’s Senior Director of Development, infused the celebration with their collective passion for sustaining Scripps Memorial Hospital’s life-affirming mission.

Get Involved: As a nonprofit hospital, Scripps Health relies on a small army of volunteers to maintain its commitment to healthcare excellence. Scripps offers specialized training to volunteers who are empowered to provide valuable services to patients, families, staff and the community through a variety of hospital positions. Please visit http://www.scripps.org/about-us. to learn how you can make a difference.

(For more event photos, go to: CAUSE.)