“An Evening Masque” Hides the Face, Tugs At the Heartstrings and Opens the Purse
When Gala Co-Chairs Connie Conard and Mary Alice Brady started their planning in March, they and their hard-working committee hoped to make a profit of $200,000 for Vista Hill programs.  And it happened!

“All of our event profits go directly to our programs,” stated Robert Dean, Vista Hill President & CEO.  “We mix private donations with public funds to improve the opportunities for success for our client families.  This Gala kicks off our new fiscal year, and we are extremely pleased to have such a great start.” 

Diane Martin and the D. James Martin family were honored with the IMBY (In My Back Yard) award for their generous support of Vista Hill and other local charities such as Casa de Amparo, UCSD, San Diego Rescue Mission, St.Vincent de Paul and the Salvation Army.  Diane and daughter Sue, a gala committee member, accepted the honor for the entire family—including five children and four grandchildren.

Special kudos went to our generous sponsors and underwriters:  Audrey Geisel and the Dr. Seuss Fund of the San Diego Foundation; Diane Martin; Darlene and Donald Shiley; Elaine Lipinsky Family Foundation; Virginia Napierskie; Torrey Pines Bank; Mary Alice and Ron Brady; Thomas J. and Theodora Lynch Fleming Foundation; Gayle and Don Slate, Patricia and Michael Hayward, Barbara Kjos, Shital and Manish Parikh, Ingrid Hibben, Alan and Judy Robbins; Debra Turner and Conrad Prebys; Susan Straub; Carole Sachs; Matthew Zetumer, M.D., and Lori and Anthony DeMaria, M.D., and more.  Sheila and Jeffrey Lipinsky were generous honorary chairs; and Mary Alice and Ron Brady opened their beautiful home the month before for the Gala Patron Reception.

Live and silent auction items and the opportunity drawing included a seven-day cruise for two on Holland America Line; a week for two at Rancho La Puerta; Four Club Level tickets for the San Francisco Giants with a visit to the broadcast booth and Jon Miller; dinner for 10 at the Magic Castle in Hollywood; gourmet Indian dinner for 10 at the home of Shital and Manish Parikh; week’s stay at a villa overlooking Lake Como in Italy; round-trip for two on Jet Blue within the USA; Taylor SolidBody Electric Guitar; a catered Mexican fiesta for 25 by Omar Guido of Crown Point Catering and Mary Alice Brady; mountain retreat in the San Jacinto Mountains, beautiful Lady’s Citizen watch with round diamonds from Diamonds Jeweler; gift certificate to Silpada Designs; Cygnet Theatre tickets; San Diego Repertory subscription packets; Old Globe tickets; one week for two at the Virginian Lodge in Jackson Hole, Wyoming; a behind-the-scenes tour for 20 at the San Diego Air & Space Museum; Good News Cooking School certificate; San Diego Country Club golf outing with Taylor club; Olde Globe tickets; gift from Hydrangea Cove, and more.

Mr. Dean brought home the Vista Hill cause and introduced Stein Education Center (SEC) parent Karen Mitrovich-Dotson who told of her son and his success at SEC. 

Music by the Mighty Untouchables and a performance by a Capoeira group gave the Evening Masque a unique flavor.  And speaking of flavor, the food by Crown Point was outstanding: delicious and colorful hors d’oeuvres; King & Queen cocktails; sea bass and skewered beef individually sliced and served a la Brazil at each table by a masked waitperson; and extra delicious chocolate dessert.

The Gala Committee was co-chaired by  Mary Alice Brady and Connie Conard.  Committee members were Renée Bannasch, Stacy Cady, Jenny Cairncross, Lisa DeFino, Joan Evenson, Omar Guido, Vicki Hamilton, Rene Hitt, Andie Kidrick, Barbara Krumvieda, Elaine Lipinsky, Linda Maguire, Sue Martin, Debra McGinty-Poteet, Ann Mound, Rachel Peniche, Kimberly Rubidoux, Lora Sandroni, and Beckie Van Houten.

Fashion-Oz Hits Home! There’s no place like home was the theme of this year’s Vista Hill Fashion-Oz Show.  Some daring guests came in OZ attire, and everyone enjoyed the 17 boutiques – the most we’ve ever had --  silent auction, opportunity drawing, luncheon and fashion show by Gretchen Productions.  Our good friend and Friends of Vista Hill Advisory Board member, Carol LeBeau was mistress of ceremonies; she has been a wonderful mainstay for many of our Fashion Shows over the years. Long-time friend and Honorary Chair, Lynelle Lynch, provided hair and make-up services for the fashion show models through Bellus Academy. 

CHEF GUNN AND CHEF LUIS came through with a fabulous dessert which was dramatically presented: chocolate ruby red slippers filled with delicious berries...what a treat!

Kudos to our Presenting Sponsor, Virginia Napierskie; Décor Sponsor, Audrey S. Geisel/Dr. Seuss Fund; Silent Auction Assembly Underwriter, San Diego County Credit Union; Signage Underwriter, Chandler Asset Management, Inc.; Event Supporters, Lynn Cihak and The John M. & Sally B. Thornton Foundation.  These folks help make it possible for us to make a good profit, all of which goes directly to Vista Hill programs. 

Lynn Cihak, event chair, and her committee planned for months to bring everything together in such a clever and inviting manner.  Lynn’s comment?  “It’s all about the shoes!”  Committee members Dee Ammon, Kathy Babcock, Gretchen Bergman, Jennifer Cairncross, Tana Cleaves, Connie Conard, Susan Cunningham, Lisa DeFino, Autumn Ellenson, Debbie Giaquinta, Vicki Hamilton, Karen Mendez, Bev Minor, Ann Mound, Diane Mushet, Marcia Peniche, Valerie Smith, Gale Sostek, Carol Thomas, and Beckie Van Houten made sure all the guests felt welcome.

Our guest speaker was Betinna Linner, an active ParentCare alum, who now splits her time between working at ParentCare East and as a Parent Partner for the Incredible Families Central.  She is a Vista Hill success story.

Thanks to our VIP and Patron Table Sponsors who brought their friends, clicked their heels, and followed the yellow brick road.  You are all very much appreciated.

The Women's Council on Mental Health Spring Luncheon took place on Thursday, February 17, 2011, with speaker Jim Comer, author of When Roles Reverse: The Joys and Jolts of Parenting Your Parents.

Co-chairs Linda Canada and Susan Straub and their committee were applauded for their work in organizing the event which took place at the Estancia La Jolla. Approximately 130 attended. Presenting sponsor was the Walter J. and Betty C. Zable Foundation. Others who helped were Betty Beyster, Ann Mound , and Sharp Mesa Vista Hospital . Linda Canada sponsored a VIP Table, and City National Bank and Sharp Mesa Vista Hospital were Table Sponsors.

District Attorney Bonnie Dumanis attended along with individuals from the healthcare, banking, and estate planning professions. Two vendor tables were available in the foyer during the registration hour:
•  Amy Abrams of Elder Care Guides providing care management services and caregivers; and
•  Miguel Nunez of Prudential Realtors with information on reverse mortgages. 

Mr. Comer handled a difficult topic with humor and enthusiasm. He advised the guests to choose a retirement or nursing home carefully. “Don't look for plush carpet or chandeliers. Pick a place that is clean, has good food, and staff who are kind and know what they're doing. And make sure the staff doesn't change every six months. The director and others should have been around for several years, and the company should pay their nurses aides well.”

Special thanks to Elaine Lipinsky who opened her lovely home for the Patron Reception the evening before and to Vicki Hamilton and Crown Point Catering for providing such delicious food. Committee members were Lauren Abrams , Lisa DeFino , Marybeth Dirksen, Autumn Ellenson, Mary Kay Hewitt, Joni Laura, Lynne Lurie, Ann Mound, Lynn Nelles, Stella Shvil, and Beckie Van Houten.

Gala Goes Gangbusters: $225,000 Raised for Vista Hill Programs
Chairperson Mary Alice Brady and her Gala Committee jumped in with both feet and made 10/10/10 A Perfect 10! an unforgettable Vista Hill Gala.  Raising $200,000 was their target, and with the help of 250 guests, they surpassed this goal!

Robert Dean, Vista Hill President & CEO, named Virginia Napierskie and Connie Conard, mother-daughter philanthropists in San Diego, the IMBY (In My Back Yard) Award winners for their long-term commitment to Vista Hill and other local organizations. They received a well-deserved standing ovation.

Honorary Chairs Audrey S. Geisel and Darlene Marcos Shiley were present in spirit.  They, along with Virginia Napierskie, kicked off the Gala underwriting this year and helped the Committee surpass its goal. Having such dedicated donors who lead the way means the world to Vista Hill.

The Gala Buzz started many weeks ago, and the official kick-off Patron Reception was held at Mary Alice and Ron Brady's on September 22nd with fifty guests enjoying their beautiful home.  

On 10/10/10, guest speaker Irma Contreras, a ParentCare graduate, spoke of her many years drug-free, and thanked Vista Hill for “being there” for so many struggling women and children in San Diego County.

Guitarist Kim Olson wrote and sang songs on the spot during the cocktail hour while guests viewed a special line-up of live and silent auction items.  Many unique touches focusing on “ten,” made the evening especially fun.  Auctioneer Mark Drilling and Friends of Vista Hill Event Coordinator Rachel Peniche encouraged attendees to open their wallets to Fund a Need.

Everyone enjoyed delicious cuisine by Crown Point Catering and entertainment by the award-winning Chula Vista High School Glee Show Choir “Vocal Synergy” – 10 girls and 10 boys with beautiful voices and lots of energy. 

Music by the Mighty Untouchables (known that night as the Mighty UnTENables) completed the evening with dancing and 10 desserts at the Liberty Station Conference Center.  The event ended at 10:10 p.m., a very appropriate hour.

Women's Council on Mental Health Luncheon

Over 200 guests attended the February 18 Women's Council on Mental Health luncheon with featured speaker Juliet Funt photo who spoke about reducing stress -- keeping some "white space" on the calendar to enjoy family and friends, allowing oneself the opportunity to do just one thing instead of multi-tasking to the nth degree, and understanding the different needs of men and women. All this was delivered with humor as would be expected from the daughter of Allen Funt of Candid Camera fame. photo

Juliet ended her presentation with a clip from that show and told of a true experience when she and her family were on a plane being hijacked to Cuba. A passenger recognized her father and called out, "It's Candid Camera." It wasn't, but all ended safely. photo

Bravo, Vista Hill!

National Alliance on Mental Illness - San Diego (NAMI) has named Vista Hill one of the 2008 Inspiration Award winners.  Robert Dean, President & CEO of Vista Hill, will accept the honor on November 7 at a dinner celebrating NAMI San Diego's 30th Anniversary. The Inspiration Award celebrates individuals and organizations who have encouraged and supported the cause of mental illness and the destigmatization of mental illness in San Diego County. 

Vista Hill Receives Checks from Chula Vista Rotarians

At the August 1st meeting, Bud Wilson of the Chula Vista Rotary Club awarded checks amounting to $10,000 to Vista Hill to establish the George & Eileen Cornell Endowment. The Cornells were former owners of Cornell's Stationary Store which has a long history in Chula Vista . The building has been a landmark on E Street where Stein Education Center now resides. George and Eileen passed away in the 1980s, but they lived in Bonita and were well known to everyone in the area. George was active in the Chula Vista Rotary, serving as club president and district governor. Bud teamed up with building co-owners Chuck and Janet Peter on this generous donation. Robert Dean, Vista Hill CEO, graciously accepted the checks.

Jim Biddle, fellow Rotarian and owner of Securities Center, Inc., was instrumental in the development of this fund which is now at $11,500.
Interest on the Cornell Endowment will benefit Stein Education Center and thus the Cornells "continue to do their work for mankind."

Women's Council on Mental Health Annual Luncheon
Dr. Thomas Perls was the featured speaker at Vista Hill's Women's Council on Mental Health luncheon on Tuesday, February 26;  and he was also the honored guest the evening before at the Patron Reception at the home of Gayle and Phil Tauber.

Dr. Perls provided interesting information from his long-term genetic and social study of centenarians and gave the luncheon crowd of nearly 300 a great deal to think about.  As one of a handful of the world's experts studying these older patients, Dr. Perls' book “Living to 100:  Lessons in Living to Your Maximum Potential at Any Age” makes sense and provides good direction and ideas for all of us.

Dr. Perls has an excellent memory, and he recalled a variety of stories about our wonderful, older citizens:  humorous, interesting, enlightening.

Dr. Perls also delighted the WCMH membership by joining the group at the Sapphire level.  Thank you, Dr. Perls!   And thanks, too, to the many supporters of the Women's Council on Mental Health and of Vista Hill.  We also send kudos to Chair Marjie Atwood, Ph.D.; Charlotte Neilsen, Honorary Chair, and the WCMH event committee. You are all very much appreciated!

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NFAR Race for Autism San Diego - Balboa Park. The Stein Education Center Walkers arrived on Saturday, March 29th for a pleasant walk in the park. Click here for photos. The race supported the National Foundation for Autism Research. For more information: www.racefor autism.org

Crystal Darkness Program Aired December 12th at 7:00 PM. This 30 minute film will be shown simultaneously on the following television stations or cable providers: KUSI, KPBS, COX 4, CTN, Time-Warner Cable, and KOCT.

Crystal Darkness is a gripping documentary portraying the real outcomes of methamphetamine abuse. Viewers will be able to see examples of everyday people who have gotten into the downward spiral of drug dependency and encouraging stories about successful recovery. The program is the result of a partnership between the San Diego Prevention Coalition, Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA), the San Diego County District Attorney's Office, and more than 70 other business, treatment, community and government organizations. ParentCare Family Recovery Center hosted a group viewing that drew more than 35 adults and teens.

San Diego Women's Foundation Grant. In 2007, ParentCare was awarded $35,000 from the San Diego Women's Foundation for the “Mother Hubbard's Cupboard” project to supply families with nutritious emergency food.

The ParentCare “Mother Hubbard's Cupboard” project is designed to improve the accessibility and nutritional quality of emergency food supplies, as well as increase knowledge of healthy meal preparation, for low-income women who are recovering from chemical dependency.  Beneficiaries will also include their young children, and other family members.  The “Cupboard” will be located on-site at Vista Hill's ParentCare Family Recovery Center , where young mothers struggle each day to overcome drug and alcohol abuse and create a better life for their children.  The project will include easy access to high quality emergency food supplies for these fragile families - - many of whom have gotten off the street, and on the road to recovery, but are still living “on the brink”.  Education about “low-cost-but-nutritional” meal preparation will also be a component of this project, which will impact over 150 women and children annually.  

The San Diego Women's Foundation (SDWF) was established in 2000. SDWF's mission is to educate and inspire women to engage in significant and sustainable philanthropy in the San Diego region. Vista Hill was recognized at the SDWF Annual Grants Celebration on June 5 at the Salk Institute where members and guests heard about this year's recipients as well as the ongoing work of previous grantees.

Vista Hill is grateful for the leadership and generosity of the SDWF, in particular, for addressing problems with vulnerable populations that many choose to ignore. Most of the young women who turn to ParentCare for help did not have a mom or grandmother or big sister to rely upon…many thanks to SDWF for sending “Mother Hubbard” to the rescue!

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Corrective Reading Program Implemented at Stein Education Center. SRA Corrective Reading Strategies is a new program being implemented at the Stein Education Center . Students participating in the program attend structured Reading Groups on a daily basis. The program is designed to teach problem readers effective reading skills to recognize and comprehend printed materials. Click here for student pictures.

The SRA Corrective Reading Strategies program is presented through direct instruction and is designed to effectively communicate with students grouped according to their reading level. Each lesson is based on a cumulative development of reading skills which are presented during a lesson, and then implemented through a variety of tasks. The students attending Reading Groups practice reading orally through word lists, sentences, and passages and work to improve their ability to recognize and decode unknown words.

Reading comprehension is also an important factor of the program, whereas the students are taught to remember specific details of a passage when reading orally. Comprehension activities teach the student that what is read is to be understood.

ll students who participate in the SRA Corrective Reading Strategies program are making tremendous strides to improve their reading ability.

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Multi-sensory Room at Stein Education Center - Individuals with autism often have difficulty with sensory integration or processing. That is, the ability to take in information through the senses (especially vision, sound, touch, and movement) filtering it, processing it, and then responding appropriately to the stimulus. In “normal” neurological systems, an individual is able unconsciously filter out and ignore the excess stimulus. The multi-sensory room at the Stein Education Center provides a controlled atmosphere for our autistic students to be gently exposed to sensory stimuli. There is a large bubble lamp, soft music, an oversized bean bag chair, and a small ball pool where special students can quietly decompress and practice filtering sensory stimuli.

“Troubled Teens Find Support at Vista Hill” featured article in the Del Mar Times July 14 publication focuses on the Bridges™ Service Center 's Intensive Outpatient Program. [Click here for the full article]

"National University Names Vista Hill CEO Robert Dean as Distinguished Alumni." [Click here for the full article]

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