By Monica Faram/features@trcle.com
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An organization that began years ago has blossomed into something so much bigger than the founders ever imagined.
The Black & White Gala began as an event in the Cleburne airport hanger to help raise money to give children immunization shots. In 18 years, it has expanded to include many more projects and has outgrown four locations.
Kay Walls, chairman of the first two Black & White Gala events, has fond memories of those early years.
“Steve Porter, who was administrator of the hospital then, came to me and asked me if I would help with a project,” Walls said. “When Steve made the appointment I had just told [my husband] Sam, ‘Whatever he’s asking me to do, the answer is no.’ But he came, and we visited because at the time not all of the students were getting their shots at the beginning of the school.”
This year’s 18th event is Saturday at the Omni Hotel in Fort Worth.
The year was 1993, and Walls was on the school board, so she had a firsthand view of what was lacking.
“I can remember what it cost for a child who had not been immunized if they came into the emergency room presenting a very critical illness,” Walls said. “At that time it was $10,000 a child. So we wanted to get these kids immunized.”
The first project Gala took on was the Shots for Tots program. In 18 years, the Gala has paid for more than 77,000 immunizations for Johnson County children and no longer has one of the lowest immunization rates in Texas.
The Gala received numerous honors and awards from various health organizations in Texas for this initiative.
Around 480 people filled 48 tables at that first Gala, on Aug. 7, 1993.
“The Gala was at the airport hanger because it was in conjunction with Cleburne on the Rise,” Walls said. “It was so much fun. The dietician at the hospital was Robin Porter. She catered the first meal, and that was so good.”
The special dessert was chocolate balloons filled with white chocolate mousse.
“The balloons came from San Francisco,” Walls said. “Guests still talk about how beautiful and delicious they were.”
The first event didn’t go off without a hitch.
“The electricity went off while the food was being prepared. One of the bathrooms overflowed. We had rented two port-a-potties but forgot to set up outside lights,” Walls said. “We laugh now about the things that were a problem. The guests never knew all of the problems were occurring.
“The next day we had to go back to the hanger and wash off all of the dinner plates and glasses and everything from the rental company. I was not hungry for days.”
Committee members included Marilyn King, vice chair, Carol Rose, in charge of decorations, Carol Jean MacLean and Donna Turner, co-chairs of the live and silent auction, Lisa Magers, publicity, and Brenda Harrison, who along with Sandy Bailey and Nancy Johnson was in charge of reservations.
The whole committee included 19 members, compared to this year’s 40 members.
Country-western singer Gary Morris provided entertainment, and Larry Woolley was the auctioneer for the event.
“We made $10,000 on the auction that first year and then $55,000 the next year,” Walls said.
The Gala has since quadrupled the amount raised.
Helping hands
As the Shots for Tots program’s success continued to grow, the Gala committee began to see other needs in the community.
In 1996, Mammograms Are a Must! was added to the mission of the Black & White Gala. The program has provided more than 2,600 mammograms and diagnostic support at no cost for women in Johnson County.
“The reason we started mammograms is because so many women were being diagnosed with cancer We just want to provide a healthy environment for the people of Johnson County,” Walls said.
Mammograms at Texas Health Harris Methodist Cleburne may be scheduled by Johnson County women who are age 40 or older, have no health insurance, no diagnosed breast health problems and match a low-income financial profile. Diagnostic follow-up mammograms and sonograms are also available as needed.
The Know Your PSA initiative for men was added in 2001. Know Your PSA has provided more than 470 free prostate screens, which include a digital rectal exam, the PSA blood test and prostate cancer education.
Prostate cancer is the second-leading cause of death from cancer in men, and approximately one out of every six men will develop prostate cancer during his lifetime. Texas Health Cleburne conducts at least one PSA clinic for men in Johnson County each September, Prostate Awareness Month.
“The community has been wonderful to support all our projects because they want a healthy community,” Walls said. “Johnson County is a very supportive community.”
In addition to the free health care programs, the committee has supported projects at Texas Health Cleburne, including: Ann Marti Schmidt Women’s and Infants Services Unit, surgery department renovation and expansion, emergency department renovation and expansion, lobby renovation, digital mammography equipment and Ladders In Nursing Careers, a nurse training program.
The Gala has also helped provide funding for the HOPE Medical and Dental Clinic.
All grown up
This year marks Gala’s 18th year, and it has grown astoundingly.
“It has grown beyond my wildest dreams,” Walls said. “In the beginning we were just trying to immunize children so that they would be healthy and safe.”
More than 600 guests are registered for the event, which is now held at the Omni Hotel in Fort Worth.
“We went from the airport hanger to the civic center,” Walls said. “We outgrew the civic center and went to Beaumont Ranch for a few years. Then we went to the Worthington and outgrew the Worthington, and now that’s why we’re at the Omni.”
Auctions now include the silent and live auctions and also a big board auction.
Also, an 18-piece orchestra will provide entertainment throughout the evening, providing guests with music to dance to.
Tickets are still available for this year’s function. To purchase them, call Tammy Sims at 817-317-5244.
Gala attendees who want to stay the night are urged to make hotel reservations now to ensure availability. To make reservations, call 817-535-6664 and say you are with Black & White Gala.
For information about the Gala, visit www.texashealth.org/BWGala or contact Texas Health Harris Methodist Foundation at 817-317-5244 or TammySims@TexasHealth.org.
