By Krystal Smalley
ksmalley@wbcowqel.com
It was a night for laying bets down on the ponies when the Diva Derby Party came to town.
The Avita Health Foundation held its fourth annual Divas ‘n Darlings Women’s Event at St. Joseph’s Activity Center Thursday night. The ladies of Crawford County brought out their best derby-inspired hats to help raise money for Avita Health System’s new maternity unit.
“About 250 women are gathered here at St. Joe’s for the Avita Health System Foundation,” explained Kelby King, Community Relations and Marketing Manager for Avita. “Their whole goal tonight is to raise money for our brand new OB unit at Galion hospital.”
“The OB unit renovation has already started,” King added. “It’s been going on for a while. It’s new safety features for the infants, a brand new viewing station, a nursery, brand new patient rooms. So all of this, all of the excitement, all the Derby hats are in celebration of the brand new OB unit.”
Avita Health System is working towards modernizing its maternity unit with a $700,000 renovation project. The center will also feature modernized mother/postpartum rooms, new labor and delivery rooms, and a dedicated entry for expectant mothers.
The Divas ‘n Darlings event features a different theme every year but always raises money for some aspect of the hospital system that benefits women.
“The women in the area flock to this because it’s something different every year and it’s tailored towards women,” King said. “You have your handbag raffles, you have your silent auctions . . . the diamond jewelry. Everything that attracts a woman. And it’s great for a social hour with all of these women.”
Past Divas ‘n Darlings events have raised funds to start up the Avita Women’s Health Fund (2011), the Dexa Scan System (2012), and the Infant Security System (2013). The first Dames ‘n Dolls event was held earlier this year for the Bucyrus community.
In addition to betting on horse races, the women in attendance participated in purse raffles and a live auction. The auction featured items such as a week-long stay at a condominium in Caswell Beach, North Carolina; a dinner and concert package to see Clint Black; and the ever-popular catered dinner party for eight.