History of the Associate & Affiliate Groups

Kate Crutcher, the hospital's first president organized guilds of volunteers to raise money and supplies for the hospital. Today, the A&As undertake million-dollar-plus fund-raising campaigns for projects like genetic research, minimally invasive surgery, developmental biology research, cancer and blood diseases, cardiology and orthopaedic.

In its early days, the needs of Childrens Hospital Los Angeles were great but their scale and scope quite different than those of today.  In 1935 and 1936, for example, the Auxiliaries, as they were called then, gave the hospital 3,678 finished garments, many sewn by the volunteers, including infant clothing, canvas bed frames, surgical and pneumonia jackets, sun suits and pajamas. In addition, the hospital received more than $5,900 from the Auxiliaries for the purchase of much-needed equipment, including $1,000 for a surgical sterilizer, $233.93 for two oxygen tanks and $149 for an industrial-strength potato peeler to assist in preparation of patient meals.

Mary Duque, Mrs. Crutcher's successor, was instrumental in expanding the A&As to their current strength: The 34 A&A groups extending north to the Antelope Valley, east to Whittier, south to Palos Verdes and west to the ocean.  In 1947, the year Mrs. Duque first joined the Board, there were seven auxiliaries supporting Childrens Hospital, the maximum number allowed by the by-laws. Realizing the importance of expanding this rich resource of womanpower, Mrs. Duque proposed the organization of new women's groups to be called guilds. Thus she deftly circumvented the restriction on auxiliaries and greatly enlarged the support of the Hospital.

The Associates & Affiliates are absolutely essential to the growth and development of Childrens Hospital. Their fundraising genius is legendary. No other children's hospital in the world has been able to mobilize a supporting group that can begin to match the Associates and Affiliates.

Anne Wilson, hand-picked by Mary Duque, was chairwoman of the A&As from 1989 to 2001 . She juggled this leadership position along with her other hospital duties as president-emeritus of the board of directors, member of the Foundation board of regents, and director of the thrift and gift shops.

Mrs. Wilson's recipe for handling these formidable responsibilities was a mixture of love and compassion for the hospital blended smoothly with her many years of experience here. She sums up her involvement with Childrens Hospital  in a few simple words - "the hospital and my family are my life."

And she means it, because few people today know the hospital as intimately as Mrs. Wilson. Her grandfather, Henry O'Melveny, officiated at the 1914 dedication of the hospital's first building.  Mrs. Wilson's father-in-law, John C. Wilson, M.D., was the first hospital intern in 1910 and later was chairman of its orthopaedic division.

John C. Wilson, Jr., M.D., Anne's late husband, was former chief of staff at both the Hospital of the Good Samaritan and Childrens Hospital Los Angeles, was a hospital board member and chairman of the orthopaedic division.

Mrs. Wilson particularly enjoyed her work with the A&As. "Each group has its individual purpose, size, character and personality, yet they are equally important in the work they do for our hospital."

Thousands of women and men in the Associates & Affiliates have touched the lives of patients at Childrens Hospital Los Angeles since its beginnings. Whether it's the annual sale of holiday cards, a golf tournament, charity ball, toy or thrift shop collection, fashion show, garden tours, national horse show, golf tournaments or individual and corporate solicitation, the A&As continue to show their strength in both fund raising and raising awareness in their communities.

"They are among our most loyal, most devoted family members," says Mrs. Wilson. "They represent Childrens Hospital in the most stellar and loving way!"

Meet the current Chairman of the Associates & Affiliates.