Beaufort Memorial Foundation Valentine Ball
story by COURTNEY MCDERMOTT photos by CHARLOTTE BERKELEY
If you’ve never imagined that you could dine, drink, and dance your way to better healthcare, then you’ve never experienced the Beaufort Memorial Hospital Foundation’s Valentine Ball, benefiting Beaufort Memorial Hospital (BMH) and, by extension, the health of the entire community.
The 34th annual event, set for Saturday, February 11, 2023, at Tabby Place, will feature the ever-popular pre-ball dinner parties, live music performed by Charlotte, NC-based Diverse Groove, a silent auction, cocktails, and dessert. Most important, all proceeds from the event will support a dynamic workforce development program to include a state-of-the-art, on-campus education center and a freestanding, on-campus daycare center.
Co-chaired by William & Mary Beth Donovan and John & Danielle Troutman, this year’s event will mark a new and critical focus of the hospital’s future: providing career paths and opportunities for current employees, and training new generations of health care providers to meet the growing needs of the community.
Longtime hospital supporters and Valentine Ball attendees, William owns and operates Donovan Family Dentistry, LLC, a dental practice on Lady’s Island while Mary Beth is a nurse practitioner for Beaufort Memorial Primary Care. They share two young daughters and their parents, both retired, live in Beaufort as well.
John and Danielle are both Senior Financial Advisors and partners with The Clark Troutman Group at Merrill Lynch. Danielle is also the Resident Director of the local Beaufort Merrill Lynch Office. She has served on numerous Valentine Ball volunteer committees, and she and John have opened their home to host pre-ball dinner parties as well. The couple shares four sons.
“As a mother of four boys having a strong community hospital has always been important to me,” said Danielle. “From providing a safe and welcoming environment at the Birthing Center to the excellent level of care in the Emergency Center anytime our boys have been sick or injured, Beaufort Memorial has been a part of our lives along the way. It gives me great joy to know we are supporting an organization that has helped so many in our community over the years.”
VALENTINE BALL 101
First held in 1989, the Valentine Ball has a decades-long tradition as Beaufort’s premier black-tie affair, with its own unique twist.
Generous community members throughout the area open their homes to host guests for pre-ball dinner parties, often the highlight of an altogether spectacular evening. The dinners are included in the ticket price and provide guests the opportunity to bask in the hospitality of local hosts while meeting new friends along the way. Guests can also choose to dine with friends at the same dinner party by request.
After dinner, it’s off to the ball where guests enjoy desserts, drinks, and live music while browsing and bidding on trips, artwork, spa services, and more at the silent auction.
LOOKING BACK
Over the years, the Valentine Ball has raised millions of dollars in funds to support the nonprofit hospital’s projects, programs, equipment, and services both big and small.
Proceeds from the past five balls raised more than $1 million to support the renovation and expansion of the hospital’s Surgical Pavilion. Others helped establish, sustain, or grow key service lines and facilities, including the Cochrane Heart Center, Collins Birthing Center, Keyserling Cancer Center, Sol Neidich Inpatient Mental Health Unit, LifeFit Wellness Center, HealthLink for Children Pediatric Rehabilitation, and much more.
“I am honored to have worked for BMH for nearly 10 years, and I am passionate about helping people and supporting my community,” said Mary Beth. “Co-chairing the Valentine Ball is another way to give back because I’m supporting a fundraiser that directly benefits my hospital and my patients. At the end of the day, it’s a win-win for Beaufort Memorial and the health of the people we serve.”
SUPPORTING THE FUTURE
Organizers hope to raise more than $200k to support the hospital’s workforce development initiatives aimed at helping both current employees with their career paths and training new employees to meet the healthcare needs of a growing community.
“With challenges in the labor market both here and across the nation, BMH is working to address the need through innovative partnerships with local educational institutions to grow and educate our own workforce,” said Beaufort Memorial Hospital Foundation Associate Vice President and Chief Development Officer Kimberly Yawn. “We are investing in our employees and providing them a way to reach their full potential at BMH. These programs will ensure we are able to continue to meet the healthcare needs of our community for generations to come.”
A coordinated effort between the University of South Carolina Beaufort (USCB), Beaufort County, the City of Beaufort, and Beaufort Memorial aims to provide the best opportunity to prepare future healthcare professionals.
A new education center will include a Simulation and Collaboration Lab, providing a dedicated space with access to medical equipment, technology, and training for future and current healthcare professionals; assist with recruitment and retention of much-needed clinical staff; and ensure the availability of a well-trained healthcare workforce.
“The demand for nursing and other healthcare professionals is at an all-time high,” said BMH President and CEO Russell Baxley, MHA. “At the same time, there is a shortage of clinical instructors which limits the number of classes available to students interested in entering the medical profession.”
To address the shortage of clinical instructors, the on-campus lab will increase access to nursing faculty by utilizing BMH nursing staff as adjunct faculty who can be instrumental in combining clinical work with teaching.
High-tech, state-of-the-art simulation labs will provide learning spaces for multiple healthcare professions, including Registered Nurses, Licensed Practical Nurses, Patient Care Technicians and Certified Medical Assistants.
Funds from this year’s ball will also support a new daycare center within steps of the hospital to provide convenient, competent, and cost-effective care for employees’ children.
Rounding out the workforce development plan will be additional scholarship dollars to help current employees advance their career paths within the organization through its People Achieving Their Highest (PATH) program.
“Everyone deserves the opportunity to advance their careers, and this program allows us to support our employees in their growth,” said Baxley.
The program, which has been highlighted as an innovative example of workforce development by the South Carolina Hospital Association (SCHA), includes scholarships, clinical training, traditional education, and even nontraditional financial assistance to encourage and incentivize individuals to advance their careers and support a better healthcare network. The initiatives supported by this year’s Valentine Ball are a model for hospitals across the state, if not the nation.
AND MORE!
Another turn in this year’s event: a pre-ball silent auction. Set to open January 1st and closing January 14th, the pre-ball auction will feature items to help guests prepare for the ball, and even kick it up a notch the evening of the ball.
Featured items will include hotel stays, hair and makeup sessions, spray tan parties, and transportation to and from the ball.
“We’re excited to offer our first-ever pre-ball auction and are grateful to our local business community for donating a special assortment of items and services to make this year’s ball a night to remember,” Yawn said.
Invitations for the Valentine Ball will be mailed in late December, and ticket purchases must be made by January 13th to guarantee seating at a pre-ball dinner party. For more information about the Valentine Ball visit ValentineBall.org or call the Beaufort Memorial Hospital Foundation at (843) 522-5774.
