Broadway event tops $100,000

    A red carpet ushered 270 guests into Holyoke’s Phillips County Event Center, with sights of the New York skyline and the sounds of Broadway musicals filling the air. The stage was set for not only a glamorous “Night on Broadway” but also for a record-breaking year for Melissa Memorial Hospital Foundation’s Legacy Event.
    The eighth annual fundraiser Saturday, Feb. 10, recorded $104,389 in preliminary gross funds, the most the event has ever seen since it began in 2011.
    “The foundation and I are overwhelmed by the community’s support and generosity. It is because of this support that we can continue to do good things for MMH,” said Nancy Colglazier, MMHF executive director.
    “It was truly a wonderful evening coming together celebrating our local hospital while raising funds for an ambulance and medical scholarships. It is an over-the-top feeling to know that this is a record year since the ambulance is our No. 1 goal,” she said.
    MMH is a growing and progressive hospital, and with a rising need for another ambulance, the foundation is determined to help the hospital with that need.
    In 2016, Holyoke EMS ran 152 calls for service. That number was more than doubled the following year. While there are two ambulances that are fully capable of responding to 911 calls and inter-facility transfers, a third ambulance will help provide a safety cushion for the Holyoke community when the other two are already in use.
    Colglazier said funds from the Legacy Event will be combined with MMHF donations and matching grants to help make the ambulance a reality. Organizations awarding grants like to see that there is community support, and the Legacy Event proves that the Holyoke community is ready and willing to support the hospital.
    In addition to the overwhelming 31 tables filled on Saturday, the sale of raffle tickets also contributed to the total funds raised. “This is the first year that we have sold all 400 raffle tickets, so we are thrilled about that part of the event fundraising,” said Colglazier.
    Misty Torres was the lucky raffle winner. She has the choice of a trip to New York City, Charleston or Ireland.
    Nearly 100 auction items filled the wings of the Event Center and provided another avenue for guests to show their support to MMHF. Preliminary numbers show 43 live auction items raised $30,475, and 55 silent auction items brought in $6,362.
    For the second year, the live auction included a piece of hospital equipment that was sold to the highest bidder and then donated back to MMH. The 2018 featured item was an LED surgical light for the MMH surgery department. Colglazier said she was thrilled that it was purchased by an MMH staff member, making it double-special.
    To round out the live auction, auctioneer Lloyd Michael sold six mini taxi cabs that gave buyers a chance to win back some money in the Race to Broadway game. Julie Kotch, representing Regent Park and Carriage House, won the game for the second year in a row.
    MMH CEO Trampas Hutches addressed the crowd and thanked them for their contributions to the foundation and the hospital.
    Hutches presented Steve Young with an award and thanked him for his service on the foundation board the past 23 years. Having been on the board since its inception, Young recently decided to step down when his term ended at the end of 2017.
    Young and his wife, Kim, were instrumental in organizing Saturday’s event, in addition to the many board members, committee members, decorating crew and volunteers.
    MMH staff members, family and friends also volunteered their time to help serve and prepare the meal, which featured New York strip steak cooked by Jared Anderson and his crew.
    The Broadway theme was brought to life with beautiful decorations, a photo booth, signature drinks and a dance. Several famous musical characters could be spotted throughout the evening, including some from “The Lion King,” “Grease,” “Wicked,” “Chicago” and “Singin’ in the Rain.”
    “It is with great pride that the foundation and Legacy Event committee see the event continue to grow after eight years along with the excitement for the 2019 Legacy Event already building,” concluded Colglazier.
    “Night on Broadway” has been a showstopper for Melissa Memorial Hospital Foundation, and it joins the many wonderful memories from past Legacy Events, beginning in 2011: Mardi Gras, Western Splendor, Roaring ’20s, Run for the Roses, James Bond 007, Romance in Venice and Titanic Grandeur.