Henry Mayo Newhall Hospital kicked off its 40th Holiday Home Tour with a virtual gala Friday evening with a “heart of the home” theme and holiday-themed do-it-yourself activities.
Locally owned organizations such as Southern California Real Estate Management, Teri-Hughes Fox Family Foundation and Holly Hanlin with Berkshire Real Estate in Valencia sponsored the tour, which included a Santa Clarita house with decor designed by Debbie Designs West.
“I was the decorator for the home this year for the holidays,” said Debbie Porter. “It’s filled with a lot of love and our theme this year for this home is “heart of the home.”
The front door is decorated with three wreaths that “represent the three generations living under one roof,” Porter said. The house was decorated mainly with items collected by the family over the years and hidden hearts that can be found throughout different rooms in the house.
The second house featured in the tour was decorated as a “modern winter wonderland” with gold and white decorations to give the house an elegant touch, said Polly Behmlander from Meraki Interiors, who decorated the house.
Ken Speed, bar manager at Salt Creek Grille, showed viewers how to make a cocktail named the Ruby Jubilee, named after the home tour, and Jeanna Crawford, president of SC Publishing Inc., did a tutorial on how to decorate a plain wreath with bulbs and ribbon.
Over four decades, the hospital has raised more than $1 million from the annual event, which has gone toward the Center for Women and Newborns, Kim and Steven Ullmen NICU, two nurses’ stations, a trauma center in the emergency room and equipment at the hospital.
Proceeds from this year’s tour will go toward adding equipment to private rooms in the Center for Women and Newborns, according to Mary Judy, president of the home tour league.
“This year has had many challenges,” said Marlee Lauffer, Henry Mayo Foundation president. “Our community has embraced our various programs, events and outreach efforts, all done a little differently in this current environment, and we appreciate you.”
