Samaritan will hold its annual Celebration of Life Gala at 6 p.m. on Saturday, Feb. 8, at its new venue, Live! Casino & Hotel Philadelphia.
“Our annual Celebration of Life Gala honors the many generous individuals who embody The Samaritan Difference: our dedicated team members; volunteers; board members; community partners; supporters; and, most importantly, our patients and their families,” said Phillip W. Heath, president and CEO of Samaritan.
The annual fundraiser will once again be supported by presenting sponsor Holman Enterprises, along with Champion Sponsor Live! Casino & Hotel Philadelphia, in line with that venue’s mission to forge strong relationships with the communities where it does business. Live! has partnered with Samaritan as champion sponsor as well as hosting the gala.
“Community involvement and corporate philanthropy are a top priority for our organization,” noted Carmen E. Gonzales, vice president of communications at Live! Casino & Hotel Philadelphia. “We look forward to sharing this special evening with everyone who helps make Samaritan’s mission possible.”
Samaritan is one of the state’s leading providers of hospice care, palliative (comfort) medicine, at-home primary care, grief support and counseling, advanced illness care, education and advocacy. It annually provides nearly $1 million in donor-funded non-reimbursed care for patients and families in the South Jersey area.
This year, Samaritan’s gala celebrates the organization’s 45 years of providing an expanding range of life-enhancing care to more than 11,000 families annually in Atlantic, Burlington, Camden, Gloucester and Mercer counties.
“The thing that we most look forward to is just for a chance to be together, to celebrate what we do and to generate support for the important work that Samaritan provides,” offered Chris Rollins, chief development officer of Samaritan. “It really is the support of the community that allows us to do more for our patients and families.”
The Celebration of Life Gala will feature food, live music and dancing and the return of Samaritan’s Delightful Dining Raffle, which offers participants the chance to win 12 $100 restaurant gift certificates valued at $1,200, and an online auction. Gala proceeds support direct care for Samaritan patients and families.
“Many of the things that differentiate Samaritan – many of the programs and services that go above and beyond – are made possible through philanthropy,” Rollins explained. “Every year, our gala is the way in which folks connect with us for the first time, and so it’s a great opportunity to make new friends and give them an opportunity to understand what we do, why it matters and how they can support it.”
For additional gala details, visit www.SamaritanNJ.org/Gala.
