Ohio Valley Health Center plans fundraiser May 15th fundraiser gala

STEUBENVILLE -- "Where Hope Grows" is a fitting theme for the Ohio Valley Health Center's 16th-annual gala, returning to an in-person rite of spring fundraiser for the nonprofit.

"A lot of times when patients show up here at the clinic, they feel like they don't have any hope for the medical conditions that are new or difficult," Executive Director Ann Quillen commented on how the theme originated for the event set for May 15 at St. Florian Event Center in Wintersville.

"They're not sure what they're going to do. Maybe it's the first time in their life they're having some problems. A lot of them (have) said, 'You know, I just don't know what to do anymore. I feel hopeless,'" Quillen said of comments heard from patients turning to the center located at 423 South St., Steubenville, that provides high-quality health care for the medically uninsured and underinsured individuals and families of the Ohio Valley, regardless of their ability to pay.

The gala kicks off at 5 p.m. with a champagne reception, followed by dinner and a program at 6 p.m. that includes the acknowledgment of three honorees for their contributions to the center and their dedication to the community.

Tickets are $50 per person, and sponsorships remain available. For information or to purchase tickets, visit www.ovhealthcenter.org or call (740) 283-2856. May 6 is the RSVP deadline.

"I think that's one of the best things that we do as a clinic. We provide hope -- we give people hope that they can be healthy and have a doctor who will care for them, and it just changes their lives," Quillen said.

"It's such a great place to be. It's such a great way to serve our community," she added on a recent meeting day when executive committee members for the gala were firming up plans.

The fundraiser is open to anyone in the community, according to Quillen.

"We encourage people to come and share in the festivities," Quillen said. "We definitely are looking for sponsors for the event. There's no doubt about that, that this is a fundraiser and the money that's raised through the sponsorships and in the mystery boxes and in the auction go to support the mission of the health center, so it's open to the community."

The gala is a semi-formal black-tie affair for those who choose.

"You can wear your cocktail dress, you can wear your long gown, you can wear your tuxedo, your good suit. It's just a nice event," Quillen said.

Back by popular demand are mystery boxes where attendees can purchase one with a number that correlates to a prize they'll receive.

"We have more than $10,000 worth of prizes for mystery boxes and the live auction," Quillen said. "That's a lot of gifts in donated items that are going to be given away."

A live auction that evening will feature a variety of big-ticket items.

"We have wonderful things donated. We have Steelers tickets and a limo ride to that game," she said, in addition to a framed painting by Richmond artist Gina Judy that serves as the backdrop for the gala booklet, invitations and decorations. There's also a Dave Barnhouse print.

"We're creating a spa package for women and a tailgating and another package for men so those will be really nice items for people to bid on."

That the gala returns to an in-person event for the first time since 2019 makes Quillen especially pleased.

"I think all of us are happy to start seeing live events again, and our response has been really wonderful," Quillen said. "Our community is definitely ready for this, and they're ready for something live. The gala has always been a popular affair in our community, so it's a wonderful thing that we're able to bring it back again."

Sharing in that enthusiasm are gala co-chairs Tony Mougianis and Tara Dzvonick from Apollo Pro Cleaning and Restoration, who explained why it's important to them to be involved.

"We've been a part of the health center for many years now, and the mission here is so important to us that we're able to give the uninsured and underinsured, fabulous state-of-the-art health care, so the mission is very important, and quite frankly, we want to do whatever we can to see it succeed," Mougianis commented.

"This is a part of our largest fundraiser of the year, and we haven't been able to do it for a couple of years, so this is an important one. We felt compelled to be a part of it once more, and we're very excited about it," he added.

The couple have served as gala co-chairs in past years.

The goal is that the gala will raise about $90,000.

"That's our hope, and so far, we're kind of on our way. We still have a ways to go, and we feel confident that we'll get to our goal," Mougianis said.

"Helping people in our community is one of the things that we enjoy doing, and the underinsured and uninsured need our help," Dzvonick said.

"We have many people in our community who don't have insurance, they don't know where to turn, and that is what the Ohio Valley Health Center is here to do," she said. "It's there to support those people, to guide those people and get them the treatment that they need and deserve."

Mougianis pointed out the gala is as much a celebration as it is a fundraiser.

"Part of this is a celebration really, when you look at our humble beginnings, from North Fourth Street to being able to be in a state-of-the-art facility that is free and clear through the many donations and help from many of the grants we were able to receive," he said of the center that celebrated a mortgage-burning ceremony last fall.

"And so, it's been a wonderful thing, and I've always said we're the best kept secret in Jefferson County, and we hope not to be that forever. This is a wonderful place," Mougianis added.

"Where Hope Grows" expresses a goal of the health center's staff for every patient visit.

"For some patients, their hope is for medication to prevent another heart attack," Quillen said. "For others, their hope is to return to good health so that they can be better parents or go back to full-time employment. And for many, their hope is to simply be able to breathe without a struggle, get through the day without constant pain or learn to live a healthier life through diabetic or nutritional education. Our goal is to enable their hopes to be fulfilled and their health to be improved through our compassionate care."

The gala constitutes the health center's No. 1 fundraiser, she emphasized.

"We have to rely on donations from our community to keep our doors open and vital, and I hope and pray that people see the value in the services that we provide, and that they'll support us so that we can keep our doors open and continue to provide life-changing, life-saving services for our community," she said.