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By
Hollen Dodds
Public Relations
In what
is the most anticipated social
event of the academic year, the
Charity Ball marks its 25th
anniversary, with plans to break
prior fundraising efforts.
The
Charity Ball gives students,
alumni, faculty and staff the
opportunity to support local
charities while interacting
outside of the classroom. Shivam
Desai, a second-year College of
Medicine (COM) student, decided
to join the committee as soon as
he came to MUSC. "I wanted to
get involved in working for a
good cause while becoming
familiar with the community. I
have definitely learned a lot
about Charleston through this
experience," he said.
The ball
is co-sponsored by members of
the COM Student Council and the
Medical Student Alumni Council
(MSAC). The alumni council seeks
donations for the silent auction
while the student council
promotes the event to the public
and advertisers.
The
committee members work months in
advance with the help of Charity
Ball director, Krista Mysock, to
prepare for the event. Mysock
said the ball raised more than
$19,000 last year, with this
year's goal to raise even more
money. More than 400 MUSC
students, physicians, faculty
and staff along with several
members of the Charleston
community attended last year.
 Attendees bid on
silent auction items during the
2011 Charity Ball.
Dean
emeritus and professor Layton
McCurdy, M.D., has been
attending the ball since 1990.
He has made several
contributions to the ball
throughout the years ranging
from donating artwork to
auctioning off his bartending
services for a night. "This
event is just too good to miss,"
McCurdy said.
The
Charity Ball committee members
work with MUSC Gives Back to
review and select the charities
from a large pool of non-profit
organization applicants. Some
organizations have been
recipients for many years while
others are newcomers.
One
charity, Crisis Ministries, has
been a longtime recipient of
ball funds since the event's
first year. Amy Zeigler, Crisis
Ministries director of community
outreach, said the organization
is grateful for the continued
support. "The funding helps us
to finance our full-time health
clinic and provide medication to
those without financial
assistance programs such as
Medicaid."
This
year's ball will be held at
Memminger Auditorium Feb. 18.
Hamby Catering and Events will
provide the décor and heavy hor
d'oeuvres for the evening.
Guests will be entertained by
live music from the band
Permanent Vacation and given the
chance to bid on artwork,
jewelry and getaways.
2012
Charity Ball Recipients
Crisis Ministries; The Community
Center at St. Matthews Lutheran
Church; Helping and Lending
Outreach Support; Lutheran
Hospice Lowcountry; Sea Island
Habitat for Humanity; MUSC
Student Initiatives: Community
Aid, Relief, Education, and
Support Clinic; Crisis
Ministries Wednesday Night
Clinic and Fight for Sight.
COM
Student Council:
Kristie Day, Michael Fitzgerald,
Kevin Gibbs, Stephanie Robinson,
Stephen Ramey, Shivam Desai,
Simone Maybin, Maggie Stafford
and Taylor Stukes. Medical
Student Alumni Council :
Satara Brown, Crystal Fancher
and Ryan Wade
Tickets
and donations may be made at http://www.musc.edu/charityball.
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