March 15, 2023

Vibrant ‘Tropicana’-Themed Honor Ball Surpasses $4M for HonorHealth Foundation

Todd LaPorte, Laurie Florkeiwicz, Jared Langkilde, Sandy Trznadel, Sue Fletcher with Christine & David Watson

The Event: Honor Ball 2023

The Cause: HonorHealth Cardiovascular Center of Excellence and HonorHealth Christine and David J. Watson Healthcare Heroes Endowment

Event Date: February 25, 2023

Location: JW Marriott Camelback Inn

Co-Chairs: Sue Fletcher & Sandy Trznadel

Honorees: David & Christine Watson

Crown Jewel Sponsors: Bob Lavinia | Natalie & Ed Gaylord | Sara & Terry Lee | Winssinger Family Foundation

Dollars Raised: $4 million

Entertainment: Impulse West Coast Music of Beverly Hills presents A Night at the Tropicana

Florist: Avant-Garde, William & Company Floral Design Studio

Notable Moments: From the moment guests arrived to the sunset-lit cocktail hour to the entrance into the brightly colored ballroom, details evoking the Cuban theme were everywhere. Think signature rum cocktails, tall palm fronds waving in the wind and dancers and musicians on white pedestals surrounded by swaths of tangerine, magenta and lush garden green. The procession of event co-chairs Sue Fletcher and Sandy Trznadel, honorees David and Christine Watson, HonorHealth CEO Todd LaPorte, Foundation president & CEO Jared Langkilde and Foundation board president Laurie Florkiewicz presided over the incredible news of the evening: the creation of the Christine and David J. Watson Healthcare Heroes Endowment and $4 million raised by the 2023 Honor Ball. As dinner music transitioned from Michael Bublé-esque sultry tunes to Ricky Martin, the dance floor was packed in celebration of a very memorable evening of philanthropy.

Photos courtesy of Brad Reed and Sandra Tenuto

***Co-Chairs Sandy Trznadel & Sue Fletcher***

***David & Christine Watson with Catherine & Jim Tuton***

***Michael Nicholas, Dr. Joel Cohen, Budd ***Florkiewicz***, Ed Gaylord & Dr. Malik Shah***

***Brenda & Jim Howard with Beth McRae***

***Christine Watson and friends dancing the night away!***

***The Scene*** ***from the dance floor***

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