VIENNA - Hundreds of supporters of the Camden Clark Foundation turned out for the third annual charity gala on Saturday evening at the Parkersburg Country Club.
"The funds raised tonight will go towards the Camden Clark Diabetes Diabetes Education and Wellness Fund," said foundation director Kim Couch.
Couch said the foundation expected to raise between $20,000-$30,000 for the program, which provides dietary counseling and day-to-day management of diabetes as well as training and oversight of those diabetic patients using insulin pumps.
Article Photos
Anne Coffman, of Parkersburg, inspects the real flower decorations by Keith McClung in the Parkersburg Country Club for the Camden Clark Foundation’s third annual charity gala on Saturday evening. (Photo by Jolene Craig)
"We always try to give the funds to something that directly benefits and goes to the community," Couch added.
Funds from last year's gala went to the cardiology department while the first gala benefited the cancer program.
One reason the foundation chose to aid the diabetes fund is because West Virginia has the highest number of adults with the disease than any other state.
"One in three children in West Virginia will develop diabetes and if we can educate the community and prevent it before these children develop it, it can help not only the local community, but also the state," Couch said.
The decorations and entertainment for this year's event were the talk of the evening with club employees, those in attendance and event coordinators chatting about how the building looked.
"We decided on this year's theme of 'Mistletoe and Magnolias' as a tribute to the Deep South with the decorations and food," said Couch.
The idea for the theme came from Keith McClung and his Crown Event Rentals business after McClung and his wife spent some time in Savannah, Ga., this summer.
"I just loved the city and told Kim that it would make a great theme for the gala," McClung said.
The decorations included live flowers and fresh fruit, unlike many holiday decorations.
"When the board approved the decorations, I contacted people in Savannah about how to do the decorations and they suggested fresh magnolia leaves and evergreens with flowers," McClung said.
"Really, these live flowers just add something to the place with the magnolia leaves and evergreen," said supporter Anne Coffman of Parkersburg. "It's really just beautiful."
