A sold-out Giving Hearts Gala by the Langley Memorial Hospital Foundation saw 350 attend the Saturday Feb. 11 event at the Coast Hotel and Convention Centre to raise funds for a renewed spiritual space at the hospital.
Heather Scott, executive director of the foundation, told the audience at the fourth annual edition of the gala that, after 50 years, the space on the hospital’s main level was showing its age.
“Lately it hasn’t been used much, because it’s worn,” Scott explained.
“More importantly, it isn’t reflecting the compassion we feel, and value we place on the people who visit this space.”
Scott said the renovated space will “offer respite in a contemporary, serene environment designed for privacy and healing of the heart, mind and spirit.”
Shane Flanagan, who has served with Fraser Health as a spiritual health practitioner for 11 years, 10 of them at Langley Memorial Hospital, talked about the value of such a space.
“People facing a health crisis often experience spiritual distress,” Flanagan said.
“They try to make sense out of their situation perhaps asking: ‘Why me? Why now? What did I do to deserve this?’ A renewed sacred space will provide a place of peace, comfort and solace when working through such thoughts and feelings of uncertainty.”
There was a pleasant surprise at the gala, a donation of $100,000 to fund renovations to the hospital pain clinic, made by Balraj Mann and his family, in memory of his late mother, Satnam Kaur Mann, who passed away a year ago.
Those wearing glowing hearts had contributed $2,500 or more at the fourth annual Giving Hearts Gala fundraiser by the Langley Memorial Hospital Foundation, held Saturday, Feb. 10 at the Cascades Convention Centre. (Dan Ferguson/Langley Advance Times)
While totals were still being tallied Sunday, the gala’s live auction saw a date night with dinner and dancing raise $650, a two-night stay at the Black Rock Resort in Ucluelet raise $3,000, 14 box seats for the March 11 Vancouver Canucks versus Ottawa Senators game raise $6,050, fine dining with Langley firefighters raise $2,800, and dinner with Langley City Mayor Nathan Pachal raise $6,000.
A silent action raised more than $7,000.
Glowing Hearts gifts of $2,500 or more, which were recognized with wearable glowing hearts, included three $10,000 contributions by Racy Sidhu, Garry Gill of Surrey Cedar, and the Bath Family Foundation.
RELATED: Langley fundraising gala raises $215,000
Over the past four years, donors at the Giving Hearts Gala have raised $565,000.
More photos from the evening may be viewed on the Langley Advance Times Facebook page.
Is there more to the story? Email: dan.ferguson@langleyadvancetimes.com
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