Beaufort Memorial Hospital Foundation
35th Annual Valentine Ball
story by COURTNEY McDERMOTT photos by CHARLOTTE BERKELEY
If you’re looking for a way to support the health and well-being of our community, then Beaufort Memorial has your ticket.
The 35th Annual Valentine Ball is just around the corner, and it is by far the most festive way to get to know your community hospital while supporting its services.
The event, set for Saturday, February 10, 2024, at Tabby Place, will feature the ever-popular pre-ball dinner parties, live music performed by BOUNCE, a silent auction, cocktails, and dessert. Most importantly, 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 Dr. Patrick and Mrs. Meghan Meehan, and Mr. Chris and Mrs. Caitlin Ketchie,, this year’s event will support the future education center, a critical extension of the hospital’s efforts to continue providing career paths and opportunities for current employees and training new generations of health care providers to meet the growing needs of the community.
“I am excited to co-chair this year’s Ball because I Iove our hospital, and I want to be part of a community initiative to support and help grow our services,” Dr. Meehan said. “It is a privilege to contribute to an event that is fun for our community and also makes a meaningful impact on our hospital.”
Longtime hospital supporters and Valentine Ball attendees, Dr. Meehan is a board-certified physician who has worked as a hospitalist at Beaufort Memorial for more than a decade, while Meghan is a former paralegal, community volunteer, and full-time mother to the couple’s three young children. Meghan also serves on the Valentine Ball planning committee.
Chris and Caitlin moved to the community in 2016 when Chris joined the hospital’s management team as vice president for Beaufort Memorial Physician Partners, which employs and manages more than 110 providers in 28 practices throughout Beaufort, Hampton, and Jasper counties. Caitlin is a local real estate agent who has been involved in the Valentine Ball for many years. The couple shares three daughters.
“I enjoy being a part of this event because it allows me the opportunity to meet new people and share the vision for our community hospital,” Ketchie said. “I have a lot of pride in Beaufort Memorial and the people we care for, and I enjoy being an ambassador for an organization that serves us all.”
A TIME-HONORED TRADITION … WITH A TWIST
First held in 1989, the Valentine Ball has for decades been Beaufort’s premier black-tie affair. But what sets it apart from other events is its unrivaled support by generous community members who host pre-ball dinner parties in their homes, a time-honored tradition that is often the highlight of the evening.
For nearly 35 years, hundreds of Beaufort-area residents have opened their homes to allow Valentine Ball guests the opportunity to dine with them and other attendees before setting off for the festive event. Hosts often team up with friends or family members to prepare and serve hors d’oeuvres and cocktails while getting to know their guests before settling down to a home-cooked or professionally catered meal.
The dinners are included in the ticket price and allow guests 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.
SUPPORTING THE HEALTH OF OUR COMMUNITY
To date, the Valentine Ball has raised millions of dollars to support the nonprofit hospital’s projects, programs, equipment, and services, both big and small.
Proceeds from recent events raised more than $1 million to support the renovation and expansion of the hospital’s Surgical Pavilion, which broke ground in September and is expected to be completed in late 2025. Others helped establish, sustain, or grow key service lines and facilities, including the recently renovated Cochrane Heart Center, the Level-II Collins Birthing Center, the MUSC-affiliated Keyserling Cancer Center, and the expanded Sol Neidich Inpatient Mental Health Unit.
“The first Valentine Ball we attended supported the renovation and expansion of the Birthing Center, where we gave birth to our three children,” Meghan said. “It is so wonderful to see and experience firsthand the impact this event makes on our community.”
Organizers hope to raise more than $230k to support the hospital’s education center and related workforce development initiatives, including an on-campus daycare center to provide convenient and affordable childcare to hospital employees.
“The need for our services continues to grow and, with that, so does the need to attract, retain, and grow a committed workforce,” said Beaufort Memorial Hospital Foundation Associate Vice President and Chief Development Officer Kimberly Yawn. “We are investing in our employees and creating the infrastructure to help them 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 continues to grow exponentially, while the programs and instructors to train them continues to decline,” said BMH President and CEO Russell Baxley, MHA. “If we want to preserve and grow our workforce to meet the needs of the communities we serve, then we have to take the lead and make it happen.”
State-of-the-art simulation labs will provide learning spaces for multiple healthcare professions, including Registered Nurses, Licensed Practical Nurses, Radiology Technicians, and Certified Medical Assistants. The simulation lab will also serve regional training programs for healthcare professionals, thus improving the supply of well-trained healthcare workers throughout Beaufort County.
BMH nursing staff will augment existing instructors by serving as adjunct faculty to address the shortage of clinical instructors and will be instrumental in combining clinical work with teaching.
“Everyone deserves the opportunity to advance in their careers, and this program allows us to support our employees in their growth while attracting new talent to our organization,” said Baxley.
The hospital’s visionary program was highlighted by the South Carolina Hospital Association (SCHA) as an innovative example of workforce development. It 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.
“It is crucial for us all to support the hospital through the BMH Foundation and the Ball to ensure we maintain top-notch healthcare in our community,” Dr. Meehan said. “I see all the great advancements that our CEO and talented teams are working on nonstop to bring to our hospital and community. Many of these projects would not be possible without much-needed community support.”
ATTENDING THE BALL
Invitations to the 35th Annual Valentine Ball will be mailed in mid-December. And, back by popular demand will be the pre-ball auction, featuring services and items aimed at helping guests prepare for the big event. The online auction will be available from January 5th until January 12th.
Once again, featured items will include hotel stays, hair and makeup sessions, spray tan parties, and transportation to and from the Ball.
“Last year’s pre-ball auction was a big hit — and help! — to the many folks who bid on items,” Yawn said. “We could not be more grateful to our local business community for donating a special assortment of items and services to make the Ball a night to remember.”
Valentine Ball ticket purchases must be made by January 19th to guarantee seating at a pre-ball dinner party. For more information about the Valentine Ball and the pre-ball auction, visit ValentineBall.org or call the Beaufort Memorial Foundation at (843) 522-5774.
