Lafayette General Foundation Gala a Success

On Thursday, Oct. 2, Lafayette General Foundation hosted a transformative gala that set a new standard for events of its kind in Lafayette. Contortionists, clowns, jugglers and fire performers mesmerized guests under the big top, situated at the corner of Pasa Place and S. College Rd., at the Foundation’s fourth-annual gala, bringing to life a carnival of yesteryear.

Over 550 esteemed members of the community attended the Gala, with sponsorship from 50 companies, and fund-raised nearly a quarter of a million dollars. All proceeds from the event go towards projects that improve the health and well-being of children. Such projects include Cajun Lullabies, School Telemedicine Clinics and connecting pediatric sub-specialists with the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit.

“This event was a huge success for us. Everyone was in high spirits and really enjoyed themselves,” says Lafayette General Foundation Executive Director Geoff Daily. “These projects make Acadiana healthier, beginning with our children, and that is a wonderful place to start,” he says.

Cajun Lullabies is a collaborative album being produced by the Foundation, Louisiana Folkroots and Lafayette Convention and Visitors Commission. Songs from the album will greet the birth of newborns at Lafayette General Medical Center, celebrating our Cajun and Creole heritage.

Telemedicine clinics connect school nurses to doctors to provide preventative and urgent care to students at their schools, keeping them in their classrooms longer.

The NICU project provides access to pediatric sub-specialists, enabling parents of premature newborns to focus on recovery instead of being displaced by traveling to a different city to see a doctor for the treatment they need.

“For the Foundation, the Gala is just the beginning,” says Daily. “In 2015, we will see a series of events and activities through which the community can invest in transforming health care through innovation, including the launch of projects supported by the Gala.”