A high point of the Foundation’s Annual Dinner is always the suspense of wondering who will receive the awards given to the year’s most outstanding volunteers—and the cheers and congratulations that erupt when the winners are announced.

This year was no exception. At the Annual Dinner on Dec. 2, the three honorees embodied three different ways of contributing to the Foundation through volunteer service. But each has, in his or her own way, made a tremendous difference to the Foundation, the hospital, and the community.

Former Queen of the Valley Hospital president Sister Ann McGuinn was on hand to present the President’s Award to Cliff Hartle, president of the Peter and Vernice Gasser Foundation. The award honors extraordinary service by a volunteer, and Cliff’s efforts on the Foundation’s behalf have indeed been extraordinary.

When the Gasser Foundation was created, Queen of the Valley was designated as one of its lead beneficiaries, and Cliff has made sure that the Gassers’ wish to support the hospital has been fulfilled most generously. His willingness to go “above and beyond” for the Queen was abundantly in evidence when the Gassers’ home was chosen as the 1990 Napa Valley Designers Show House. He was deeply involved in the project and devoted vast amounts of his time to helping out.

Under Cliff’s leadership, the Gasser Foundation has given or pledged almost $2.5 million to QVH facilities and programs. “Cliff is an important advocate for the Queen within the Gasser Foundation and in the community at large,” says QVHF Executive Director Dave Johnson. “He has been a truly dear friend of the hospital.”

Tireless effort on the Foundation’s behalf at one event after another, year after year, won Honorary Trustee Joyce Spinelli the Kenchelian Award for outstanding service to the Foundation by a trustee. “For 17 years”—12 as a trustee, 5 more as an honorary—“she has been willing to give generously of her time and talent,” said Trustee Jayne Morrell when she presented the award to Joyce. “Her commitment has always played a large part in the success of events over these many years.”

In 1983, the year after she first joined the Board, Joyce signed on as advertising chair for the very first Designers Show House. She’s chairing this year’s Show House and she’s been involved in just about every other Foundation event in between. She has chaired or co-chaired the “Day for the Queen” fashion show numerous times, including in 1999, and twice took on the job of chairing the entire event. She has volunteered for the Transamerica, the Wine Auction, “Reach for the Stars,” the concerts at Silverado, and too many other events to list.

“She is a great ambassador for our Foundation,” Jayne concluded, “and has never wavered in her efforts to help provide better health care for the people of this community.”

The 1999 award for outstanding work by a volunteer was presented to Florence Bratton, the Foundation’s one and only “in-house” volunteer. As trustee and award presenter Dorothy Arata told the Annual Dinner audience, Florence’s relationship with the Queen goes back to 1970, when she was diagnosed with terminal cancer. Thanks to (in her husband’s words) “superb treatment received at Queen of the Valley,” Florence flouted the original diagnosis and speedily recovered.

Florence went on to join Community Projects and become a QVH volunteer, serving on the boards of both groups. She also helped out the Foundation, participating in seven of the Designer Show Houses.

Then in 1997 she signed on as a volunteer in the Foundation office, writing out deposit slips, stuffing envelopes, and doing whatever’s necessary. “When those floods of direct mail come in, Florence is indispensable,” says Executive Assistant Pat Slattery. “She’s not only a big help, but she’s smiling and friendly and always keeps our candy jar filled. She’s great—we’re so glad she’s willing to help out.”

The QVH Foundation’s Annual Dinner on December 2 celebrated the Foundation’s past, present, and future by spotlighting the tradition of service that brought the Foundation into being and has kept it going ever since.

The dinner celebrated the Foundation’s 30th birthday by honoring the men and women who came together back in 1969 to create an institution whose sole purpose is to support Queen of the Valley Hospital and health care in our community. Of the 10 founding trustees who are still with us, four—Ray Cavagnaro, Jim Maggetti, Robert Mondavi, and Eloise Rota—were on hand for the dinner. A short video recapped the Foundation’s history and showed how it has grown to meet the challenges of today’s health-care environment.

The spotlight turned to current volunteers when the winners of the Foundation’s awards for the outstanding volunteers of 1999 were announced. And the election of new officers (see page 5) underlined the continuing importance of volunteerism as the Foundation moves into the new millennium.

“The Annual Dinner is a time to bring everyone together,” trustee Jayne Morrell said afterwards. “It’s a chance to talk about what we’re doing, what needs to be done, and why Queen of the Valley deserves our support.”