In 1957 Palos Verdes resident Betty Learned received a call from Mary Duque, the Associates & Affiliates Director at Children’s Hospital Los Angeles (CHLA), challenging Betty to consider raising $1,000 to help build a recovery unit at the hospital.  Betty summoned her friend Betty Davidson to help her respond to this challenge, the two gathered ten more vibrant Peninsula women to answer the call – and PCCH was born.

After raising 4 times the amount requested in the first year, horse lover, Betty Davidson, along with fellow member Orel Dryden, decided to next undertake a horse show fundraiser for CHLA at the Portuguese Bend Riding Club.  These clever ladies had the grand idea to enlist their husbands and kids to help, and the all-volunteer 1st Annual Portuguese Bend National Horse Show (PBNHS) was created.

Building upon the enormous success of this first event, in 1990 two longtime PCCH members, Sally Grischy and Suzie Farman decided to embark on a second fundraiser – the Seahorse Classic golf tournament. In 2019, the tournament celebrated its 30th year, demonstrating another successful tradition.

Through these and other donations from generous supporters, the organization has gifted more than $19 million to CHLA since its humble beginnings.