Hundreds Celebrate Mardi Gras at Methodist Hospital Benefit

It was a regal night at Sirona's Tuesday as nearly 500 attendees gathered in festive attire for , which raised money for emergency services at the venerable Arcadia hospital.

Guests enjoyed live music by Soulville and were also invited to sample an assortment of beverages from a martini bar sponsored by Valentine's Wine & Spirits and a beer station provided by Bayhawk Ales. Caffeine fans got their fix thanks to coffee provided by as well.

The $80 ticket price wasn't the only way the event raised money. Organizers also sold $30 surprise raffle boxes and held a silent auction, which included prizes such as a 32 inch LCD television, spa day packages and sail boat excursions.

In all, the event is expected to raise about $45,000 this year, according to Mike Driebe, President of Methodist Hospital Foundation. The foundation exists "to support programs: the building programs, the current needs, and the equipment needs of the hospital over time," Driebe explained. 

Each year, the Methodist Foundation also selects a king and queen to be honored for their dedication and service to the community through volunteer work. 

"We’re honoring two wonderful people, Grace and Dave Cashion, both of whom have volunteered a great deal of time and energy to support us and they’ve also been very generous contributors as well, so we’re thrilled that we’ve got a great crowd tonight," Driebe said.

Being a dedicated hospital volunteer, Mr. Cashion has served on the Foundation Board of Directors since 2004, been co-chair of the Planned Giving Committee, served on the Executive Strategic Planning Committee and is now serving on the Emergency Department Council.

“We’re very honored, we’ve been involved with the hospital for seven or eight years and it’s been a great experience and we look forward to many more years in association with Methodist Hospital,” said the purple-caped king Dave Cashion. 

His community service does not stop at the hospital. Cashion is also President of the Pasadena Kiwanis Club; serves on the boards of the Salvation Army (Pasadena Tabernacle), the Arcadia Educational Foundation, the and the Arcadia Sister City Commission; as well as serving as an elder at .

Dave's wife, Grace, said the couple was shocked when a few foundation members met with them to announce their selection as this year's King and Queen.

“I’m the behind the scenes worker, not out in front, so this is a different kind of role for me. It’s fun. It’s exciting," said queen Grace Cashion with her sparkling crown and staff in hand.

Since 2005, Grace has served as a member of the Mardi Gras planning committee, each year dedicating countless hours to see the event be a successful one. Cashion plans to continue supporting Methodist Hospital, and even on her day as the honored queen, lent a helping hand.

"I was here setting up today. I told my husband, I went from the worker bee to the queen bee in one day,” she said with a chuckle.

Also making an appearance for the Fat Tuesday festivities was , who was delighted to make it to an event he's missed in the past due to conflicts with meetings.

"It’s a great event, I’ve known Mr. and Mrs. Cashion for a long time. They are long time members of the community, very dedicated, and very worthy of the award,” he said.

More than 20 different restaurants donated culinary treats for the event including: FrontRunner Restaurant at Santa Anita Park, , , The Gables of Monrovia, The Patio Mediterranean Cuisine and Toro Sushi Bar Grill Lounge Nightlife. Dessert offerings were provided by Arcadia Gardens Retirement Hotel, Bob's Big Boy, California Mission Inn, Scratch Cookies & Bakery and Vista Cove.

The Methodist Hospital Foundation puts on several fundraising events each year with the Crystal Ball in October and Mardi Gras in March being the two biggest. According to Jan McEachern, Co-Chair of the 2011 Mardi Gras Committee, raising money to support the hospital may be more crucial now than it has ever been especially in emergency services, "with so many hospitals in the area that have closed, Methodist has grown in that need for the capacity," McEachern said.

Among the many attendees enjoying Tuesday night's event was Andy Huang who works at VITAS Innovative Hospice Care, one of the evening's sponsors.

“I’ve been here before and the event is really good. It’s a great fundraiser for the community and for Methodist Hospital," Huang said. "The public always needs to help out, and I believe that helping each other is so important,” he added.

Judging by the large turnout of supporters for Tuesday's benefit, it would seem other Arcadians share Huang's sentiments.