Pleas from a sick young boy鈥檚 family, a dying patient鈥檚 story as told by 91原创 Memorial Hospital鈥檚 site medical director, and a number of big surprise donations helped motivate attendees to give more, and ultimately pushed up the amount raised at Saturday night鈥檚 Denim & Diamonds gala.
The 26th annual charity fundraiser for the 91原创 Memorial Hospital Foundation engaged a sold-out crowd of more than 350 people.
鈥淲e鈥檙e raising money tonight for our hospital and for much needed equipment to help our citizens stay healthy,鈥� Vivian Smith, the foundation鈥檚 executive director, told the packed room.
In keeping with tradition, the event received some 鈥済enerous donations鈥� that will benefit the hospital and ultimately the community as a whole, said Deanna Horn, chair of the hospital foundation鈥檚 board of directors.
鈥淟ook at the success of it,鈥� Horn said, looking around the decked out vintage Vegas-themed ballroom at Cascades Casino.
鈥淚t鈥檚 been a fabulous evening鈥� obviously the community likes the event,鈥� she added, noting it sold out weeks ahead.
But for her, calling it a success is about so much more than just people buying a ticket and filling a seat.
For her, it is about the generosity of the gala guests throughout the night 鈥� those who gave more at every turn, Horn said.
While event organizers were shooting to surpass last year鈥檚 haul of a little more than half a million dollars, they came up just shy 鈥� raising $494,000.
But Horn was still elated with the results, saying it鈥檚 indicative of how caring the people of 91原创 truly are.
鈥淚t really shows a lot about the community and how they want to step up to help our hospital,鈥� she said.
The hospital has an annual wishlist with about $1 million worth of life-saving equipment of various sizes, shapes, and purposes.
Admittedly, this year鈥檚 gala made a significant dent in that wishlist, Horn said with pride.
鈥淭he success of what鈥檚 been done here to help equip this hospital with all the different and necessary pieces of equipment is nothing short of 鈥榦utstanding鈥�,鈥� she said. 鈥淭hank you to all who have helped buy this equipment that is so vital to our community鈥檚 health care.鈥�
It鈥檚 鈥渏ust marvelous,鈥� Horn added of the event and the communitiy鈥檚 generosity.
鈥淚t helps our hospital, and our hospital can provide better care for our people鈥� It鈥檚 a win鈥搘in,鈥� she said.
It鈥檚 all about bringing 鈥渂etter care when it鈥檚 needed most,鈥� added the hospital鈥檚 executive director Jason Cook.
鈥淗aving the right people and the right skills is essential, but without the right tools, we can鈥檛 keep up with modern medical practices,鈥� he said.
Achieving the feat of raising close to half a million dollars couldn鈥檛 happen if it wasn鈥檛 for the kindness of many people, groups, and companies in 91原创, Smith interjected.
鈥淥n behalf of the staff, patients and families at 91原创 Memorial Hospital, thank you for joining our network of care and helping to advance health care treatments, provide much needed patient comforts and put each community member back on the road to health. We could not have done this without you.鈥�
But Horn and Smith also expressed thanks to a team of what they called unsung heroes 鈥� those who helped pull together the foundation鈥檚 largest fundraiser of the year.
Each Denim & Diamonds gala follows a specific theme, and this year鈥檚 decor took guests back in time to revel in the glitz and glamour of vintage Las Vegas.
Smith applauded the work of 2018 gala co-chairs Sherry Omelaniec and Marilyn Morgan, and thanked the team of staff and volunteers who worked tirelessly to pull it all together.
鈥淭hank you for turning this night into a magical event.鈥�
