More than 300 guests 鈥� many sporting bright and flowery attire, wielding bidding paddles, grooving to saucy Latino music, and gambling in a makeshift speakeasy 鈥� parted with about $315,000 of their cash, all in aid of expanding cardiac care at the local hospital.

During Saturday night鈥檚 Hot Havana Nights themed gala, the 91原创 Memorial Hospital Foundation made a significant leap towards its $644,000 goal 鈥� the minimum amount needed to expand the hospital鈥檚 six-bed cardiac unit to 10 beds, explained executive director Heather Scott.

鈥淚t鈥檚 intoxicating to see all this bidding, knowing that with every donation you are improving cardiac care in our hospital,鈥� Scott told the sold-out crowd of 320.

鈥淭he funds raised at the gala for 91原创 Memorial Hospital鈥檚 cardiac care unit will expand the number of beds and provide advanced equipment to our highly specialized health-care teams to help ensure the growing number of cardiac patients seen at 91原创 receive excellent care,鈥� she said.

RELATED: Hospital foundation raising funds for more cardiac care beds

The audience was told how demand in the past five years for the telemetry monitoring has jumped from 666 patients a year to almost 800.

Starting early this year, the foundation began fundraising specifically for the cardiac unit upgrades.

Heading into Saturday鈥檚 festivities at Cascades Casino, the foundation was just over the halfway mark, said Scott.

Now, after all the bills are paid, and the dust settles from the 32nd annual gala, Scott believes they鈥檒l be about $100,000 shy of their goal.

鈥淲e haven鈥檛 quite reached our goal. We鈥檙e almost there. And, we鈥檙e confident that the community will come through and we鈥檒l be able to fully equip the hospital with the additional beds soon,鈥� Scott shared.

For one cardiac monitoring bed, the cost is $64,000. That doesn鈥檛 include some of the other necessary equipment associated to each telemetry bed, she elaborated, noting that the $644,000-goal is the bare minimum to realize this expansion.

鈥淲e continue fundraising until we hit that goal,鈥� Scott said, adding that they鈥檙e actually hoping to raise $750,000 in total to cover all the other needed equipment.

Maybe over and above the telemetry beds, Santa will deliver needed crash carts, defibrillators, and a new EKG for Christmas, Scott said, sharing the wishlist.

鈥淪anta surprises us every year.鈥�

Asked what her personal highlight of the night was, Scott paused and pondered before saying: 鈥淪eeing folks in the room raise their bid cards and give straight donations to realize this new telemetry unit at 91原创 Memorial. I just found the generosity overwhelming. It鈥檚 inspiring, for sure.鈥�

Scott credited the volunteer drive gala committee for pulling this year鈥檚 fundraiser together, noting the core team of 10 to 12 members has yet to meet and debrief. But she expects, like her, they鈥檒l view the event a 鈥済reat success,鈥� and begin work almost immediately on plans for the 33rd annual gala.

Last year鈥檚 gala saw guests raise $205,000 in support of youth, health, and wellness in 91原创.

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To support cardiac care at 91原创 Memorial Hospital, people can visit