<span style="text-decoration: underline;"></span>Folks won’t want to miss the Beaufort Memorial Hospital Foundation’s first-ever Cocktail Affair on Friday, Feb. 10.

Less formal than Saturday evening’s traditional Valentine Ball – now in its 28th year – it is still an elegant evening featuring fun new events.

Guests can enjoy a bourbon sampling courtesy of Gentry Bourbon and Drs. Dan Ripley and Andrea Hucks. Gentry is Charleston's first uniquely crafted reserve batch bourbon and Ripley and Hucks are two of its founding partners. After being distilled in Kentucky, Gentry Bourbon is barreled in charred American oak and brought to Charleston where it is ricked, aged, staved and eventually bottled.

“The entire process takes an inordinate amount of time, but that’s what gives our bourbon its distinctive smoothness, and we hope that everyone will enjoy the tasting,” said Ripley. “On behalf of Gentry, we couldn’t be happier to make this donation to the BMH Foundation. As physicians, we know firsthand just how much our hospital means to this community.”

To complement the bourbon sampling, the celebrated executive chefs and owners of Breakwater Restaurant, Gary and Donna Lang and Beth Shaw, will be on hand to pour champagne. They’ve selected and donated one of the most recognizable and high end labels, Veuve Clicquot, for the evening, the very one they serve in their own restaurants.

Knowing that all of the proceeds of the Cocktail Affair and Valentine Ball weekend will go to support cancer care at Beaufort Memorial Hospital is especially meaningful to Gary and Donna. She is a cancer survivor who was treated by the hospital, and Gary’s mother is a current patient at the Keyserling Cancer Center.

Friday evening will also showcase 50 glasses of the very special Veuve Vintage Rose for sale, also donated by Breakwater. Each will contain a sparkling ring, one of which is guaranteed to hold a real diamond donated by Modern Jewelers, quite an enticement for those willing to take the gamble. Towards the end of the event, Kevin Cuppia will be on hand to examine each stone and certify the real diamond ring for its lucky recipient.

As if all this weren’t enough, attendees will be able to preview the fabulous decorations for the Valentine Ball, and receive any guidance needed to bid on auction items through the new mobile bidding system being introduced this year. Tiers of elaborate hors d’oeuvres, an open bar and live music by Vic and Friends will round out the evening.

It all happens from 6-8:30 p.m. Friday, Feb. 10. Tickets start at $75 per person.

Richard and Joyce Gray, serving as the Honorary Chairs for this premiere event, are delighted at the thought of our community coming together two nights in a row for such a meaningful cause.

“Both events are going to be just beautiful,” promises Joyce. “We hope that everyone will come out for a wonderful time!”

There’s a discount for those wishing to “make a weekend of it” by attending both the Valentine Ball and the Cocktail Affair.

Visit valentineball.org or call the foundation at 843-522-5774 for more information and tickets.

<a href="http://www.yourislandnews.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/01/Screen-Shot-2017-01-12-at-5.28.20-PM.png" rel="attachment wp-att-30891"><img class="aligncenter size-full wp-image-30891" src="http://www.yourislandnews.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/01/Screen-Shot-2017-01-12-at-5.28.20-PM.png" alt="Screen Shot 2017-01-12 at 5.28.20 PM" width="936" height="1034" /></a>