Samaritan Healthcare & Hospice is calling all flappers and their Dapper Dans to don their boas, pearls and bowties for an elegant evening of ’20s flair, swinging music and art deco opulence on Feb. 22 at The Westin Mt. Laurel.
“The Gatsby Gala,” Samaritan Healthcare & Hospice’s annual Celebration of Life Gala, will allow guests to step back in time — if only for one night — for an evening of champagne cocktails, elegant dining, swing dancing, vintage movies and great auction prizes. Samaritan will also award its annual Circle of Excellence awards and draw two winners of its Delightful Dining raffle at the fundraising event.
“What better way to celebrate life than with the fun, glamour and carefree abandon of the ’20s,” said Dianna Geist of Marlton, managing director at NW Financial, who co-chairs this year’s event with Samaritan board members Rhonda Cates of Mt. Laurel, assistant director- retirement plans at the board of pensions of the Presbyterian Church USA, and Jim Wujcik of Cinnaminson, a business banking executive with Santander.
Guests are encouraged, but not required, to dress in period attire as they kick up their heels to the live music of 11-member Swingadelic, the New York City Metropolitan area’s greatest “little big band.” Costumed dancers will perform the foxtrot and Charleston to add to the ’20s ambience.
Guests will have the opportunity to bid on exciting prizes in a live and silent auction and will have their last chance to purchase Delightful Dining raffle tickets, on sale now, before the winner is announced at the Gala. Raffle tickets, at $10 each, offer the chance for two lucky winners to each receive twelve $100 dining gift certificates (valued at a total of $1,200 each) to some of the area’s finest restaurants.
Samaritan will present two Circle of Excellence awards. The 2014 honorees, announced by Samaritan president and CEO Mary Ann Boccolini, are Roy Fazio, partner and executive vice president of The Protocall Group and Terriann Procida, principal, Innovative Benefit Planning, LLC.
Boccolini said, “We greatly appreciate their dedicated service to Samaritan and other worthy causes in our community. Their generosity and service ethic make them role models to celebrate and applaud.”
Holman Automotive, headquartered in Pennsauken, has returned as presenting sponsor. Mindy Holman, president and CEO of Holman Enterprises, and her family are long-time supporters of Samaritan’s programs and services for those coping with issues of aging, serious illness and grief.
“The Gatsby Gala” fun begins at 7 p.m. and goes until last dance at midnight. Tickets are $195, and proceeds benefit Samaritan Healthcare & Hospice’s not-for-profit programs and services that are not covered by Medicare, Medicaid or private insurance as well as offering help for patients without regard to their ability to pay for care.
For tickets, sponsorship information or Delightful Dining raffle tickets, contact Julie Weitzman at (856) 552–3239 or jweitzman@samaritanhospice.org.
