The Buffalo Hospital Foundation’s largest fundraising event of the year comes to town at 7 p.m. on Friday, April 28.
That evening marks the seventh annual Spring Tonic at Classic Hall, an event that has generated about $100,000 each year to help improve care at Buffalo Hospital.
"This community has really been supportive and wrapped its arms around our efforts," said Karla Heeter, the foundation’s executive director. "We are never going to move it to a different city. Classic Hall does such a spectacular job. Annandale is in our service area. We have a clinic in town here, and the hospital is close. We have many donors and partners in this community that really support our work, so we have no reason to take it anywhere else."
The evening includes a cocktail party, jazz, a focus on gifts in action, and a live auction at 9 p.m. There are also grand prize drawings and a raffle drawing for a 1963 Ford Galaxie 500, donated by Dr. Dana Harms, at 10:30 p.m.
"It’s a great opportunity for us to both thank a lot of our donors and raise some significant dollars," said Heeter, adding that she expected about 325 people at the event.
Annandale’s Denise Froehlich, who serves on the Buffalo Hospital Foundation’s board of directors, and who came up with the original idea for the Spring Tonic, said it has been gratifying to watch the event develop and endure over time.
"It changes a little bit every year to keep it fresh, but it’s been a great resource," she said. "It’s fun to see the funds that were raised put to use, and see the change that we’ve had on the hospital."
Bounce Back Project
Each year funds raised at the Spring Tonic go toward a specific cause. This year the money will support the Bounce Back Project, which has been an initiative that aims to improve health by promoting happiness and a disposition of gratitude.
"It’s been scientifically proven by Duke University that if you for two weeks write down three good things every day within the last two waking hours of your day, just before you go to bed, that makes you happier for six months because you learn to focus on the positives," said Heeter.
Anecdotally, doctors who have prescribed "three good things" for patients have found that there are physical health benefits as well, with symptoms from things like vertigo mysteriously cured.
Another facet of the project is random acts of kindness.
"Our physicians are seeing that these things really work. Of course they like science-based stuff, things that have been proven, and these things have been proven," said Heeter. "You and I think these things are fluffy - I always did because who doesn’t know that it’s good to do something nice for somebody? But now that we know it’s scientifically proven to have health benefits our docs are using these tools for their patients."
Funds from the Spring Tonic will help the Bounce Back Project in a variety of ways. The first is to cover the cost and design of printed materials. Another area funds will be put to use is in program development and hiring speakers to promote the Bounce Back Project at various functions.
A final way it will benefit the project is through rebuilding the Bounce Back Project’s website and creating a place where participants can log in and share their three good things with a wider audience. Social media pathways of sharing about random acts of kindness can also help increase the project’s visibility.
Past accomplishments
The first year of the Spring Tonic helped showcase what the foundation had done with the construction of the new birthing center.
The second year the event focused on raising funds for a spiritual center at the hospital, which was constructed a short time later.
The third year featured similar success, when the Spring Tonic raised funds for the Virginia Piper Cancer Institute. In combination with funds from the Pink Street Party in Buffalo, the cancer care center was constructed by September after the spring event.
In its fourth year the Spring Tonic focused on providing additional services for wellness care.
Year five focused on raising money to purchase stereotactic biopsy equipment to help detect breast cancer, and last year raised money for the Penny George Institute for Health and Healing.
Overall, the Pink Street Party is the foundation’s next biggest fundraiser. It usually raises $30,000 to $40,000, so it is difficult to overstate the importance of the Spring Tonic.
"This event has really had a significant impact on our community, meaning that it has brought a lot of really great programs and services to Buffalo Hospital to serve our community," said Heeter. "This event is a big deal."
Prize possibilities
For participants in this year’s Spring Tonic, there are a number of alluring prizes that will help raise funds.
Grand prizes this year include a diamond necklace donated by Miller’s Jewelry, a pair of bicycles, and an electronics package containing an iPod Touch, Amazon Fire, Echo Dock and blue tooth speaker.
The live auction will feature more than a dozen items, including experiences like a historic segway tour for six in Minneapolis, a day on a farm, Twins ticket packages, a large lilly pad from Anchor Dock and Lift, and more.
Even if one can’t attend the event, it is also possible to contact Heeter for a raffle ticket to win the Ford Galaxie 500.
"It’s red with a white top, and we’re selling tickets on that for $100 each," said Heeter. "It will be given away that night. If anyone reading the paper is interested in getting a ticket they should call me or go to the Buffalo Hospital gift shop."
■ Heeter can be reached at 763-684-6808. Register to attend online at allinahealth.org/buffalo.