Fashion show, gala will benefit hospital

By Jeff Eason

For years people have looked forward to attending the annual Blowing Rock Hospital Fashion Show Luncheon and Patron’s Gala. Usually the two events are coordinated to fall on consecutive days. This year, however, the Patron’s Gala will be held on Saturday, June 27, while the Fashion Show is scheduled to take place on Friday, Aug. 7.

Both events take place this year at the Blowing Rock Country Club.

This year, as was the case last year, the two events will raise money to purchase new beds for the Blowing Rock Hospital. On Monday, a committee meeting was held at Glidewell’s Restaurant in Blowing Rock to set goals for the two fundraising events. This year the goal is to raise enough money to purchase 42 new hospital beds, five of which will feature special pressure-relief mattresses for patients who are bedridden. The regular hospital beds cost around $2,500 while the pressure-relief beds cost around $5,000.

A new hospital bed is expected to have a lifetime of 10 to 20 years.

The Blowing Rock Hospital is part of the Appalachian Regional Health Care Network, including Cannon Memorial Hospital and the Watauga Medical Center. Funds annually raised from the Patron Gala and Fashion Show Luncheon, however, are earmarked specifically for Blowing Rock Hospital needs.

The Blowing Rock Hospital is the only one in the network that offers long-term care, post-acute care rehabilitation, an Alzheimer’s unit and in-patient hospice care.

The theme of the 2009 Patron Gala is going to be “Blowing Rock Hospital: A Gem in Our Community.” In addition to a fabulous meal, the evening will include dancing to the live band Déjà Vu, and an estate jewelry sale.

Seating for the Patron Gala is limited and the all-inclusive price is $350 per couple.

The 32nd Annual Blowing Rock Hospital Annual Fundraising Fashion Show and Luncheon will this year feature fashions from DandeLion in Banner Elk. The event will feature a runway-style fashion show, lunch and a huge silent auction. Tickets are $60 per person.

Last year the Patron Gala and Fashion Show Luncheon netted $56,797 for the Blowing Rock Hospital. The events last year and this year are earmarked for hospital beds that will be needed when the hospital is rebuilt. A spokesperson for the hospital said at Monday’s committee meeting that “it is anticipated that construction on the new Blowing Rock Hospital will begin within the next 24 months.”

The committee also discussed ways to make up for a lack corporate underwriting this year. In previous years, area banks were big underwriting sponsors of the two events, but the current economic situation might make some of them less able to give than in years past.

The committee has set up a number of sponsorship levels for people and businesses that want to assist the fundraising efforts. Level 1 is called a direct sponsor and comes with a $5,000 to $7,000 donation, Level 2 is a signature sponsor and comes with a $2,501 to $4,999 donation, and Level 3 is called an event sponsor and comes with a $1,000 to $2,500 donation.

“You 100 percent tax deductible sponsorship will play a significant role in the continued evolution of Blowing Rock Hospital and will add to the quality of health care needed in our community and we will all benefit from this level of care,” said Suzanne Miller, Underwriter Chair of the Committee this year.

The committee has already found volunteers to serve as models for the Fashion Show and is in the process of finding volunteers to help with the Silent Auction. Last year the Silent Auction recruited 19 volunteers who contacted over 160 businesses about donating items and gift certificates. Approximately half of those businesses donated items to the Silent Auction, which then raised $9,005 toward new hospital beds.

Four professional models will join the volunteer models at this year’s Fashion Show.

DandeLion, a boutique located at the Shoppes at Tynecastle in Banner Elk, will provide everything “from golf wear to evening gowns” for the Fashion Show. Litt Crumpler is coordinating the event and will emcee the runway portion of the show.

Did You Know?

• All proceeds raised from the Blowing Rock Hospital Fashion Show, Luncheon and Patron’s Gala in 2009 will be used to purchase new beds for the patients at Blowing Rock Hospital.

• It is anticipated that within the next 24 months, construction will begin on a new Blowing Rock Hospital facility.

• Blowing Rock Hospital, Cannon Memorial Hospital and Watauga Medical Center collectively saw over 30,000 patients in their emergency departments last year.

• There were over 23,500 inpatient days and over 85,000 outpatient visits during the past 12 months.

• Watauga County has the highest percentage of uninsured in the state at 31% uninsured.

• One in five Watauga County residents lives at or below the National Federal Poverty, with 21% living in poverty.

• The request for charity care at Watauga Medical Center has tripled in the last 12 months.

• Charity care has doubled at Watauga Medical Center has doubled in the past 48 months.

• Gifts to Blowing Rock Memorial Hospital are tax deductible and help keep its programs and facilities state-of-the-art.