More than 600 people will fill a banquet hall for Surrey Hospitals Foundation’s annual Celebration of Care fundraising gala on Saturday, Feb. 24.
“Midnight at The Ballet” is the theme of the sold-out party at Aria Convention Centre, where tables of 10 fetched $5,000, or $500 a ticket, for dinner, music by the band Dr. Strangelove, dancing, live auction, photo booths, whiskey tasting lounge and more.
“This event is the largest and most celebrated fundraising gala in Surrey, attracting a guest list of hundreds of Surrey’s business, community and medical luminaries,” boasts a post on surreyhospitalsfoundation.com/gala2024.
The seventh Celebration of Care gala will raise funds for “equitable and exceptional cardiac care” at Surrey Memorial Hospital.
Last February, during a “Sweet Escape”-themed party, the event raised $2.4 million to benefit children’s mental and physical health services at the hospital.
The 2023 total included a $1-million gift honouring the legacy and memory of Sherrold Haddad, a longtime supporter of the foundation. The donation was announced by Haddad’s wife, Marina, two years after the March 2020 death of the popular auto dealer and community builder.
More than $11 million has been raised at the gala over the recent years.
The event website notes that Surrey Memorial Hospital is the regional hub of health for the city of Surrey and its surrounding communities south of the Fraser River.
“It is also the vital health care centre that will serve the future growth of our province. It is home to some of the world’s best doctors, radiologists, surgeons and nurses who provide life-saving care day-in and day-out for residents in our community from all walks of life and across all age and cultural demographics.
“As the city grows and its demands for specialized health care services grow alongside it, now more than ever is our time to stand by our health care professionals. Funds will directly support specialized medical equipment for the first-ever catheterization labs south of the Fraser River, being built at Surrey Memorial Hospital, as well as ongoing and future cardiac care needs.”