SHLH Foundation Benefit Ball A Big Success

Spectrum Health Ludington Hospital Foundation held its 8th annual Benefit Ball on Saturday, August 9 at Lincoln Hills Golf Club in Ludington.

More than 200 attendees enjoyed champagne, cocktails and hors d’oeuvres, followed by dinner and music by the Kathy Ford Band at the black tie optional event.

Continuing a tradition of generous community support for the hospital, the gala was a great success. Ticket sales and sponsorships brought in nearly $115,000 by the end of the evening. Kaley Petersen, foundation director, anticipated some additional funds would be received in the days following the event.

The proceeds this year are going toward the obstetrics department and the Family Birthing Center to help new parents and their babies get off to the best possible start in their life together, as noted at the event by honorary chair Dr. Margaret Gustafson.

Support for the Benefit Ball has been exceptional. Since its inception, community support for the annual event exceeds $725,000.

This is in addition to other fundraising initiatives of the hospital foundation, such as the $1.6 million fundraising drive for the community-funded Women’s Imaging Center.

As he summarized an historic year for the hospital, including a major expansion and becoming part of Spectrum Health, Mark Vipperman, FACHE, president, enumerated the foundation’s successes. He also noted that employees have contributed $475,000 to support their hospital since forming their own arm of the foundation, known as TEAM (Together Employees Achieve More).

In a separate development, just prior to the gala, hospital volunteers made a second $50,000 contribution toward their $125,000 pledge to support the hospital’s expansion and renovation program.

The theme for the Benefit Ball is always anticipated by those who attend. This year the decorations were based on Vincent Van Gough’s painting, “Starry Night.”