The Making of “Makers”

By Michelle Stansbury | March 25, 2019

Inside the San Diego History Center’s Signature Fundraiser

The San Diego History Center’s annual “Makers of San Diego History” event is one of the most anticipated fundraising events of the year. The 2019 Makers event took place on March 23, and was the most successful to date. The event recognized those in the San Diego region who make history in their own time, while inspiring attendees to look forward to the future of our community and region.

Founded in 1928 as the San Diego Historical Society, The San Diego History Center has made a great impact in our community by serving over 150,000 visitors annually presenting dynamic, changing exhibitions which tell the diverse stories of San Diego’s past, present, and future. In addition, 20,000 students and families participate in their public and educational programs. In order to help serve the community for generations to come, the “Makers of San Diego History” event helped them raise the funds necessary to continue their interactive and immersive educational programs. While the event culminated in one spectacular evening, generous volunteers dedicated months of their time to making the event a success.

Julie Novak and Kristi Pieper co-chaired the event for the second year in a row.

“Kristi and I are committed to the mission of the San Diego History Center to be a catalyst for the preservation and promotion of the history of the San Diego region. We have also had a wonderful time working together on projects since the 80s and 90s in Junior League to more recently with the San Diego Police Foundation, Patrons of the Prado and Friends of Balboa Park. We are committed to making lives better for all San Diegans through our support of museums, centers and projects that strengthen the arts, culture, science, education, diversity, safety and beauty of the Park and the community.”

Julie Novak

The honorees for the 2019 Makers event are California Senate President pro Tempore the Honorable Toni Atkins and former California Senator, the Honorable Christine Kehoe. The evening began with a champagne reception at the San Diego History Center in the heart of Balboa Park and then moved to the Prado for dinner and entertainment.

It is unusual for the two to chair an event such as Makers for two years in a row. They share that the impact the San Diego History Center is very meaningful to them. “The San Diego History Center has highlighted the unique contributions of San Diego communities and populations for more than nine decades while the archives provide a rich and comprehensive opportunity for research, study and lifelong learning.”

Celebrating more than 90 years, the San Diego History Center is one of the largest historical associations on the West Coast. It houses vast regionally significant collections of objects, photographs, documents, films, oral histories, historic clothing, paintings, and other works of art. The History Center serves as a lifelong learning center for all members of our community, providing outstanding educational programs for school children and popular programs for families and adults. The Research Archives serve residents, scholars, students, and researchers onsite and online.