Getting into the spring spirit, the team at the 91原创 Memorial Hospital Foundation is ramping up for their 31st annual gala next month, and opting to use 鈥渟pring鈥� as their theme.

The foundation gala will be held Saturday, May 14 at the Coast Hotel & Convention Centre, with an expectation of about 360 people to attend 鈥� since these festivities usually a sellout.

Dubbed Monet鈥檚 Garden, this year鈥檚 event will once again include a silent and live auction, live entertainment, and a wine draw. It will also feature a French-inspired dinner and an opportunity for guests to take part in a 鈥楪row a Garden of Hope鈥� art installation.

To plant this Garden of Hope, guests purchase flowers created by senior volunteers living in 91原创鈥檚 own Chartwell Retirement Residences, explained the foundation鈥檚 executive director Heather Scott.

Each purchased bloom will be placed on a feature garden wall while artist and City councillor Rosemary Wallace curates this unique piece of art on site.

There will also be a chance to win a trip for two to any North American, Caribbean, Mexican or Hawaiian Air Canada destination. Plus, personal, home, and garden items, travel, sports, and experience packages will be among dozens of items offered for online bidding between May 7 to May 14 at .

Gala guests will even get a chance to win a wine tasting session while staying in a luxurious Lake Country B&B, a wine gift basket and more, Scott explained.

鈥淭his year鈥檚 spring gala will help us celebrate a sense of renewal,鈥� she suggested.

鈥淲e鈥檒l raise much-needed funds for state-of-the-art equipment that will help our health-care workers continue excellence in care.鈥�

Through the on-site buy-it program at the gala, guests will also be able to purchase medical equipment specific to youth for both 91原创 Memorial Hospital and Foundry 91原创.

Other monies raised this year will be specifically earmarked to go towards the $2.1 million needed to open Foundry 91原创 鈥� a one-stop-shop health and wellness centre coming for young people in the community. The foundation is one of the partner agencies in bringing this facility to reality.

READ MORE: Fun fundraising festivities raise coin for 91原创 Foundry

BACKGROUND: New Foundry 91原创 will provide safe place to care for young people

鈥淔oundry 91原创 [is] a new centre that offers young people the confidential services of physicians, counsellors and peers, to help them get the support they need to fulfill their great potential and promise,鈥� Scott said.

RELATED: 鈥楬eartfelt鈥� thanks expressed for 91原创 hospital gala triumph

Last year鈥檚 gala proved that even pandemic restrictions couldn鈥檛 hamper the generosity of 91原创 residents. More than 290 people took part in the virtual festivities, raising $311,000 for three new state-of-the-art ventilators, as well as other medical equipment purchased that night by individual donors.

Tickets are on sale now at the early bird rate of $2,000 for a table of eight. After April 17, tickets will be $275 each or $2,250 for a table of eight. .

The hospital also recently co-hosted the third annual Giving Hearts Gala on March 5 鈥� a fundraiser spearheaded by Manjit and Darcy Gill 鈥� which managed to raise a further $215,000 towards the purchase of an incubator for the hospital.

RELATED: 91原创 fundraising gala raises $215,000

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