Elation and longing were twin emotions this past Saturday evening as Kidspace held its annual gala on Saturday, Feb. 6 with a Totally ‘80s themed event. Cocktails, silent auction, dinner and a live auction at the Annandale Country Club were arranged by the organization’s Circle of Friends.
The children’s museum in Pasadena was in part founded in 1979 by former San Marino resident Jane Popovich, who died in August after a battle with cancer. A tribute to Jane appeared on the back of this year’s program, courtesy of John and Laura Babcock.
“It was perfect,” said her daughter, Jennifer Popovich Allen, of the printed tribute. “My mom would not have liked to have taken any time from the program, so this was very nice and very appropriate. The Circle of Friends seems to outdo themselves every year.”
The mission of Kidspace Children’s Museum is nurturing the potential of all children through kid-driven experiences, inspiring them to become joyful, active learners. Core values include respect, integrity, safety and experiential learning. The annual gala provides funding which allows the museum to increase and expand its collections, according to Kris Popovich, Jane’s widower, who was also thrilled by the event.
“I thought that the Circle of Friends did an outstanding job,” said Kris Popovich, who is chairman of the Kidspace Board of Directors. “I didn’t know what to expect when we arrived, but they did a perfect job at Annandale.”
This year’s benefit was chaired by Circle of Friends members Dimple Bhasin and
Stephanie Sepulveda. Some of the many thoughtful details that contributed to the successful execution of the 80’s theme included a DeLorean, gigantic Lite Brite welcome board, Rubik’s cubes and 80’s hits expertly belted out by the band Past Action Heroes.
Allen noted, “There was such a strong showing of support for the museum. The cause is so dear to our hearts and it was so personal for my mother. Seeing the group continue to grow and having so many people still involved, it’s amazing.”
At the Feb. 6 event, Kidspace CEO Michael Shanklin announced that the 2017 International Childrens’ Museum Conference will be held in Pasadena and hosted by Kidspace.
“Needless to say, we are thrilled by this news,” said Allen.
Allen also said she looks forward to the day where Kidspace “will be on the list of ‘what do you do when you come to Pasadena?’”
Kris Popovich told The Tribune that Jane’s interests were not only in children and education, but also in health education at USC’s Keck School of Medicine. A building on the Keck campus is named for Jane’s mother, Elaine Steedley Hoffman.
Last fall, a moment of silence was held in Jane’s honor before a Trojan football game, along with Gordon Marshall, namesake of the USC Marshall School of Business, and former USC football star Frank Gifford.
