From staff reports
It’s time to dine, drink, and dance your way to better healthcare by attending the Beaufort Memorial Hospital Foundation’s 34th annual Valentine Ball, set for Saturday, Feb. 11, 2023, at Tabby Place.
Co-chairing this year’s event are Dr. William and Mary Beth Donovan and John C. and Danielle Troutman.
Longtime hospital supporters and Valentine Ball attendees, William Donovan owns and operates Donovan Family Dentistry, LLC, on Lady’s Island, while Mary Beth Donovan is a nurse practitioner for Beaufort Memorial Primary Care. They share two young daughters and their parents, both retired, live in Beaufort as well.
John and Danielle Troutman are both Senior Financial Advisors and partners with The Clark-Troutman Group at Merrill Lynch. Danielle Troutman is also the resident director of the Beaufort Merrill Lynch office. She has served on numerous Valentine Ball volunteer committees, and she and John have opened their home to host pre-ball dinner parties. The couple share four sons.
“As a mother of four boys having a strong community hospital has always been important to me,” Danielle Troutman said in a news release. “From providing a safe and welcoming environment at the Birthing Center to the excellent level of care in the Emergency Center anytime our boys have been sick or injured, Beaufort Memorial has been a part of our lives along the way. It gives me great joy to know we are supporting an organization that has helped so many in our community over the years.”
The four chairs are collaborating with an army of volunteers to coordinate every aspect of the event, from soliciting silent auction items and recruiting dinner party hosts to selecting the live music and fabulous desserts.
The event will feature the ever-popular pre-ball dinner parties, live music performed by Charlotte, N.C.-based Diverse Groove, a silent auction, cocktails, and dessert. Most important, all proceeds from the event will support a dynamic workforce development program to include a state-of-the-art, on-campus education center and a freestanding, on-campus daycare center for Beaufort Memorial.
Hosted by generous community members, the pre-ball dinners provide guests the opportunity to bask in the hospitality of local hosts while meeting new friends along the way. After dinner it’s off to the ball for desserts, drinks, and live music, plus browsing and bidding on trips, artwork, spa services and more at the silent auction.
Over the years the Valentine Ball has raised millions of dollars to support the non-profit hospital’s projects, programs, equipment, and services. Organizers hope to raise more than $200,000 to support the hospital’s workforce development initiatives.
“I am honored to have worked for BMH for nearly 10 years and I am passionate about helping people and supporting my community,” said Mary Beth Donovan. “Co-chairing the Valentine Ball is another way to give back because I’m supporting a fundraiser that directly benefits my hospital and my patients. At the end of the day, it’s a win-win for Beaufort Memorial and the health of the people we serve.”
Invitations for the Valentine Ball will be mailed in late December, and ticket purchases must be made by January 13 to guarantee seating at a pre-ball dinner party. A new, pre-ball silent auction featuring items to help guests prepare for the ball is set to open on January 1.
For more information about the Valentine Ball visit ValentineBall.org or call the Beaufort Memorial Hospital Foundation at 843-522-5774.
