We are beginning to prepare for this year’s CHOC Follies show - "The Three CHOColatiers!", and I am asking for your help. This 2023 Edition of the CHOC Follies is one of the largest fundraisers for CHOC, and over the life of the Follies, we have raised over $10 million for the CHOC Children’s Foundation. The cast and crew of over 60 community leaders, spend hundreds of hours over a three-month period in the production of the show. In addition to the time commitment, each cast member commits to a minimum of $2,500 of financial support. For me, there isn’t a more fun way to raise money for this amazing organization.

The mental health crisis in children has exploded in recent years, and CHOC is stepping up to meet those needs. Help us provide urgently needed mental health services to patients and families during the most difficult season of their lives. Funds raised from this year’s Follies will go towards support of the very special Pediatric Mental Health facilities within CHOC, including the Mental Health Inpatient Center, the ASPIRE Intensive Outpatient Program, and the Thompson Autism Center that is under construction.

This will be my 15th year working with the Follies and I keep coming back and giving of my time because I continue to be touched by the good that CHOC does. As I talk to people about support, most have a personal story to tell about an experience with CHOC. They tell me how their child, a friend, or a relative got such amazing medical and emotional care from the staff. This shows me how intertwined CHOC is with our community. By supporting CHOC, we are supporting our families, our employees, and our clients.

Thank you for your support. I know that there are many worthwhile organizations that you support. I hope you will be a sponsor, make a donation and buy a program ad. And I hope that you will also be able to come to the show and hear firsthand the personal stories of the good that CHOC is doing. And the show is great fun to see.

Ron Hartman