Plans are under way for the 14th annual Regional Medical Center Foundation Gala, set for the evening of Feb. 28, 2009, at The Cinema in Orangeburg.

The event is being chaired by Dr. and Mrs. Michael Hay and Mr. and Mrs. Leslie Holleman. Zeus Industrial Products will continue as the event's presenting sponsor.

This year's Gala will be "A Mardi Gras Ball" and feature food, decorations and music of New Orleans and the Gulf South. Decorations are being designed by Mike and Karen Tourville, who will dress the inside of The Cinema like New Orleans' Bourbon Street, and invitations are being designed by local artist Becky Wienges.

Floats and store fronts will be used for food tables along with a float and band on the outside entrance of The Cinema. Decorations will feature the purple, green and gold colors of Mardi Gras -- purple representing justice, green representing faith and gold representing power. Justice, faith and power are also representative of what fighting cancer means.

The 2009 Gala will benefit RMC's Mabry Cancer Center, as it has for 12 of the last 13 years. Funds raised by the Gala come from corporate and individual patrons attending the event as well as silent and live auctions conducted during the affair.

"We want to bring to this event new features, which are both high-tech and high-touch. We are preparing an electronic presentation to be made available to area civic groups and will offer on-line registration as well as previews of the auction items," said Tipsy Holleman, event cochairwoman and RMC Foundation Board of Trustees member. "The high-touch will come in the form of personal invitations from Foundation Board and Gala committee members to people of the area to participate in this event, which is so much fun and supports such a worthwhile beneficiary. And we appreciate deeply the people of Zeus for leading the way."

RMC Foundation galas have netted more than $460,000 in support of the Mabry Cancer Center during the past eight years.

"As we prepare to top the half million dollar mark in Gala proceeds with this event, we are proud of the support received from the community for the fight against cancer," said Foundation Executive Director Mac Burton. "This has been a classic case of people here taking care of their own."

Music and dancing will be provided by the popular Rock Hill-Charlotte area band Flashback.

"It will be a good time for a good cause," said Catherine Hay, event cochairwoman and RMC Foundation Board of Trustees member.

For information on the 2009 Gala or to be added to the invitation list, call Mac Burton at 803-395-2321.

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