It will be fun

There are two things that distinguish the annual fund raiser to be held by the Community General Foundation next Friday, October 24, at the Hotel Syracuse. They are: it is a casual dress affair, and it is a darn good party.

That means you can wear jeans (the theme, after all, is “jeans and jewels”). It also means that any formalities will be short and sweet, allowing the evening to be enjoyed as a great party by all who attend.

There will be fine dining – the meals are catered by Pascale – and fine music, as provided by two Syracuse musical institutions: jazz vocalist Ronnie Leigh, along with R&B masters, the Blacklites. With talent like that, you know it will be fun! The photo shows the Blacklites at the 2007 gala - they will be back by popular demand.

The fun, of course, is for a very good cause. Proceeds from this year’s gala will help support Community General’s investment in state-of-the-art medical tools, such as the daVinci® System for robot-assisted surgeries, digital mammography at the Wellspring Breast Center, and the new pharmacy robot for virtually error-free medication dispensing.

The Foundation will take a moment to honor its three special guests:

▪ Steve Infanti will be honored for his years of service service to Community General Hospital. A member of the Hospital Board of Directors since 1999, Steve has served as its Chair since 2002. Before joining the hospital, he was a director of the Community General Foundation, where he also served as Chair.

▪ Being honored for service to community will be the State University of New York College of Environmental Science and Forestry (ESF). ESF is the nation’s oldest (and largest) college dedicated to the study of the environment, developing renewable technology and building a sustainable future. Under the leadership of Dr. Neil Murphy, ESF has been consistently ranked among the top American universities by US News & World Report.

▪ For medical excellence, the Foundation will honor Syracuse Orthopedic Specialists (SOS), a group of 21 orthopedic surgeons who are leaders bone and joint care in Central New York. With seven locations throughout the Syracuse area, SOS surgeons are known for responsive, high quality medical care. At Community General, the Orthopedic Department has 100% SOS members – because of their quality and leadership, Community's orthopedic services are ranked among the best in the state.

The gala is close to sold-out, but there are some tickets remaining. If you want to support a great cause (and enjoy a great party), contact the Community General Foundation at 492-5079.