By STU CLAMPITT
news@readthereporter.com
The Riverview Health Foundation Gratitude Gala on Friday, Sept. 12 at Ritz Charles, 12156 N. Meridian St., Carmel, is your chance to have a fun evening of “gambling” and giving. All the casino style games will be for fun, rather than money. The biggest winners of the evening will be the people you help by donating to the foundation.
The Reporter spoke with Riverview Health Foundation Vice President Megan Wiles about what you can expect from this black-tie event.
Greg O’Connor and the Entertainer at a previous gala. (Photo provided)
“The Gratitude Gala is the foundation’s now-annual black-tie event to raise money to help support different programs and projects here at Riverview Health,” Wiles said. “Funds that evening will go to help support the continued expansion and renovation of the Mindrebo Family Acute Rehabilitation Unit. We’ve been raising money for that for the last several years. The foundation committed to contributing three million dollars towards that project and to date we’ve given the hospital a little over two million.”
Thanks to the money raised by the foundation so far, the acute rehabilitation unit has new rooms for patients.
“It’s a much more comforting physical environment,” Wiles said. “The care has always been outstanding, but it’s just now a better place for people to be staying for a couple weeks at a time. We want to get the older rooms updated and renovated so that they match the new section.”
At the Sept. 12 gala, attendees can expect an evening packed with fun, information, and numerous opportunities to give back to the community.
According to Wiles, people will be able to play blackjack, poker, and roulette for fun with a stack of free chips.
Gina Terril and Stephanie Smith came in costume. (Photo provided)
“We’ll have a program during dinner where we are going to highlight the Riverview Health values of compassion, belonging, and excellence,” Wiles said. “We will share some stories on each of those values of and about people who have made significant impacts to Riverview Health and the care that we’re providing.”
There will be both a silent auction with items you can bid on even if you do not attend the gala. There will also be a live auction at the event, one piece of which is a dessert dash.
“A dessert dash is where tables come together and bid,” Wiles said. “They contribute money to be the highest table, and whichever table raises the most money they get the first choice at a number of desserts that are displayed. These are desserts that have been donated by different bakeries from the area. It’s a competition among the tables of who’s willing to bid more so that they get first choice.”
There will also be a bourbon and tequila pull where you pay $50 to pick up a little barrel, check the number on the bottom, and go home with a bottle of bourbon or tequila that matches that number.
For $50, you can pick up a little whiskey barrel and go home with a big bottle! (Photo provided)
It’s a casino-themed night, so an element of chance in the bourbon pull makes perfect sense.
According to Wiles, the money raised from the gala will go to help support both the Mindrebo Family Acute Rehabilitation Unit and the foundations Help for Healing Fund which provides financial assistance for patients who need it.
You can go online to register for the gala and to explore sponsorship options at donate.riverview.org/24Gala.