Story by Lindsay Allison & Photography by Kristina Only

The West Tennessee Healthcare Foundation’s Charity Gala is one of Jackson TN’s premier annual fundraising events. This year was the 27th anniversary of the event and took place on November 12th at the Carl Perkins Civic Center in historic downtown Jackson, TN. The Charity Gala benefits the Ayers Children’s Medical Center and Alice and Carl Kirkland Cancer Center. The affair is the Foundation’s largest annual fundraising event. Attendees were treated to a cocktail reception, silent auction, seated dinner, awards presentations, live music and dancing.

Many awards were presented to outstanding individuals in the community at the Charity Gala. The Jackson Awards, established by the Foundation in 2006 to honor those who excel as community leaders in six distinct categories, were awarded to Jacque Hillman (The Arts), Jerry Gay (Community Service), Stuart Hirstein (Education), Carl Rudd (Healthcare), Curtis Mansfield (Leadership), and Darren Lykes (Volunteer Service). The Dr. A Barnett Scott Service Award, established in 2011 to honor the late long-time West Tennessee Healthcare Foundation board member and former chairman of the board, Dr. A Barnett Scott, was awarded to Julanne Stone. The event was sponsored by Kirkland’s. For more information about the West Tennessee Healthcare Foundation Charity Gala, visit www.thecharitygala.org.