HealthCare Foundation gala features new theme, familiar cause

The HealthCare Foundation of Cleveland County is offering residents a night out for a good cause with their 1920s-themed gala.
Attendees of "The Gatsby Affair" will have the opportunity to partake in food, drink and dance at the event, with money going to benefit Cleveland County cancer patients. The money raised at the gala goes to the 'Because We Care' fund, founded in 2008 to support local cancer patients struggling financially.
Dick Baker, executive director of the HealthCare Foundation of Cleveland County, says nobody should have to choose between feeding their family and paying rent or paying for cancer medications. "It's hard enough to deal with cancer," Baker says. "You place the financial burden on top of that, and it's pretty overwhelming." The fund prevents local people from having to make that choice.
"The Gatsby Affair" will take place Saturday,
Feb. 20, 2016, at The LeGrand Center in Shelby. This year marks the gala's fourth year, which featured a masquerade theme in its previous three years.
According to Baker, the annual gala is the biggest money raiser for the "Because We Care" fund.
Since its inception in 2008, $240,000 has passed through the fund, helping more than 350 patients. All the money raised by the HealthCare Foundation of Cleveland County at the gala and elsewhere stays in the local community.
In addition to its change of theme, this year's gala will feature display areas to showcase different HealthCare Foundation of Cleveland County initiatives. Baker says the displays are an important new aspect to the gala, as the foundation has gone through some major changes in recent years.
The foundation, established in 1990 as the Cleveland Memorial Hospital Foundation, was initially created to raise funds for capital projects and equipment for Cleveland Memorial Hospital. After the local hospitals in Shelby and Kings Mountain merged with Carolinas HealthCare System, the foundation took on a new name and purpose.
"The focus shifted from the hospital system alone to meeting the healthcare needs of the people of Cleveland County," Baker says. The foundation now works on different projects, from funding programs and creating grants for healthcare-related nonprofits to bringing the community together to address health-related issues.
"We're in a position to address those needs by creating community awareness or by getting the right organizations around the table to discuss and create solutions to these problems," Baker says.
The Carolinas HealthCare System provides the office space and salaries for foundation employees, allowing 100 percent of the funds raised to go toward its programs.
One of those programs is the upcoming gala, which Baker hopes will continue to grow each year.
"We want to build it into something the community looks forward to, because it is a lot of fun," Baker says. "It's a great night out, but it's all for a great cause."
Event tickets are $75 dollars for individuals, which includes entry and two drink tickets. Sponsorship opportunities for businesses and VIP couple's packages are also available, both of which grant access to a VIP Speakeasy prior to the gala.
Tickets can be purchased online at HealthCareFoundationCC.org or by calling 980-487-3028.