Hospital’s Birthday Party Brings Back the Prom

Tiny tiaras sparkled on the heads of women committee members at “Memories Are Made of This,” the 30th birthday bash for Anaheim Memorial Hospital.

“I’ve always wanted to be a prom queen,” said honorary chairwoman Mary Bouas at the Disneyland Hotel affair Saturday night. “And now, I’ve made it!”

Bouas, who came to the Anaheim area as a newlywed in the late ‘40s, became a volunteer the minute the hospital opened, she said, because it was “so friendly.”

“And it’s been friendly ever since. I’m proud of its growth and standing in the community.”

Then Bouas, a hospital board member, whispered: “You may laugh when I tell you what I’m really proud of. But, from the day it opened, Anaheim Memorial has never smelled like a hospital.”

Bob Kazarian, chairman of the sponsoring Anaheim Memorial Hospital Foundation, wore a white sport coat and a pink carnation. He said he became involved with the foundation after enjoying a successful career in the oil business. “I’ve been fortunate, raised a wonderful family. Now I want to give something back.”

Kazarian’s dream for the foundation, he said, was to raise funds to help the indigent. “We’re a community hospital, and we hope to take care of all the people in our community. One of the projects we’re considering is a fund-raising campaign to help those who can’t afford hospital care. If we pursue it, our goal will be to raise $2 million in the next three years.”

The 500-strong crowd enjoyed a cocktail reception with celebrity impersonators--Elvis, Marilyn Monroe and Groucho Marx--before they entered the Grand Ballroom, set with ‘50s-era automobiles, basketball hoops, jukebox mock-ups and 26 columns of coral, charcoal and white balloons.

Before dinner (five courses that included Boston lettuce with smoked chicken breast and tournedos of beef Henry IV) Robert Sloane, the hospital’s president and CEO, led a champagne toast to the hospital’s future.

After dessert (California dried fruit and ice cream Chantilly)Lil’ Elmo and the Cosmos played an ear-splitting rendition of “Shake, Rattle and Roll” that got guests onto a sprawling, black-and-white dance floor.

One grinning onlooker, ball chairwoman Kathy Main, sighed and said: “I’m ecstatic. This is a success.”

There were moments when she had wondered whether it would be, said Main, a retired nurse who once headed the hospital’s medical/surgical intensive care unit.

“At times it was hard to get people to support ideas that I thought were worthwhile. The hardest idea for me to sell was the table favors (engraved crystal boxes). I wanted people to have something to take home.”

Decorations chairwoman Barbara Rupert said she received some opposition to her idea for the centerpieces: clusters of carnations that resembled strawberry milkshakes.

“They were controversial because they were untraditional,” she said. “But I wanted them to totally carry out the theme.”

Proceeds of $65,000 will go toward buying a urology surgical table.

The ball committee also included Susan Roys, who wore a formal fit for a prom queen; Dr. William Lawler, hospital chief of staff; Toddie Barbarosh; Rosemary Cumming; Robert Doty; Sonia Jekums; Leah Kazarian; Dr. Chris Madsen; Janet Parry Susan Riesenberg and Arlene Taormina.

Among guests were Orange County Supervisor Don R. Roth and his wife, Jackie; Bill and Bernice Hird; Mary and Wes Jones; Anaheim Mayor Pro Tem Irv Pickler; Bob Simpson; Grace Taylor and Barbara Kleist.