The Vision of Children Foundation’s Valentine’s High Tea & Boutique

A CAUSE THAT TOUCHES THE HEART

About the Event

No one had a better Valentine’s Day than The Vision of Children Foundation and their supporters for “A Cause that Touches the Heart.” Marlene’s Tea & Cakes, The Vision of Children Foundation team and many generous vendors, joined together on Wednesday, February 13th, to host a High Tea and Boutique.

The event was co-chaired by Vision of Children advisory board members, Linda Blankenship and Marian Benassi. A percentage of sales from the vendors, opportunity drawings, and the silent auction were donated to The Vision of Children Foundation. This event allowed a group of new and life-long supporters of the foundation to enjoy the company of one another while also giving back to a great cause.

The day began when a group of local women arrived at Marlene’s Tea & Cakes, in the Santa Luz area of San Diego, and were soon greeted with a glass of champagne, Valentine’s Day goodies, and entertainment provided by harpist, Sylvia Re, a VOC Advisory Board member. The event proceeded with a brief introduction from Vision of Children Co-Founder, Vivian Hardage, who shared the mission of the foundation; to cure genetic vision disorders in children and support families with visually impaired children. Advisory Board members, Dr. Sandra Coufal, Tamara Larfarga-Joseph, and Linda Blankenship enlightened the guests about our International Research Symposium, Family Network activities and Vision Hero projects that the foundation focuses on throughout the year. The women were able to socialize and browse through the wide array of vendors providing the perfect gifts for friends and family. As the ladies mingled, opportunity drawing tickets were sold for donations to the foundation. Opportunity drawing packages provided by local businesses, consisted of a variety of extraordinary baskets, from spa trips to hotel stays. The guests were also able to participate in a silent auction, where exquisite gifts were available to be won.

As tea time commenced, the doors of Marlene’s Tea & Cakes opened, and guests were enchanted by the lovely Valentine’s Day decor. Each table was decorated with an array of themed tea sets. Marlene delighted the guests with delicious soup, savory finger sandwiches, and a variety of sweet treats. The atmosphere evoked meaningful conversations, while long-time friends caught up on each other’s lives and new faces were immediately welcomed into the conversation.

As the day came to an end, the women, with winnings and purchases in hand, made their way back to their vehicles with warm smiles on their faces. Marlene’s Tea & Cakes provided a unique and heart-warming experience that was a benefit to The Vision of Children Foundation and a day to remember for our guests. 

About The Vision of Children Foundation

Rancho Santa Fe residents Sam and Vivian Hardage established Vision of Children in 1991 after their son, Chase, was born with Ocular Albinism. At the time, no researchers were studying this rare genetic vision disorder, for which no treatments or cures exist. The Hardages were determined to encourage scientific research to find a cure for this congenital condition. Today, as it celebrates over 30 years of research, Vision of Children is the foremost organization in the world supporting research for Ocular Albinism and related vision disorders with projects currently underway at The Shiley Eye Institute at UC San Diego Health.

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