Posted on March 9, 2017
More than 400 attended the Art of Healing last year, so event planners had to move it to The Gables in Laurel, a larger venue for 2017. One of the most anticipated events in South Central Mississippi, the Art of Healing features art from around the country which has been donated for auction by artists. The proceeds go to the South Central Health Care Foundation to fund community health education and screening initiatives. Lives are saved as a result of early intervention through the community health programs which are offered throughout the year.
Becky Collins, Director of Community Relations at South Central Regional Medical Center said, “The 2017 event is planned for Saturday, March 25th and will begin at 7 p.m. Tickets are $40 and can be purchased on line at scrmc.com. The event will feature a silent auction, a live auction, a large array of food, beverages, and live music. As part of the fundraiser, South Central Regional Medical Center will celebrate its 65th Anniversary of serving the residents of South Central Mississippi.
The Art of Healing has been held each year at the Sanderson Farms Corporate Headquarters, but due to the growth of the event, event planners had to move it to a larger venue. “More than 400 attended the 2016 Art of Healing. We cannot thank Sanderson Farms enough for allowing us to use their beautiful facility over the years. The venue was extremely crowded last year so we immediately started looking for a new venue for 2017.”
In conjunction with South Central’s 65th Anniversary celebration there will be an after party immediately following the live auction. One of the top cover bands in the South, Dr. Zarr’s Amazing Funk Monster will perform. “Dressed in more formal attire, the band will provide a light set of favorites from the 70’s and 80’s during the silent and live auction, but after the live auction ends, the band will change into their after party attire and will perform until 11 pm. “They have performed at events in our community in years past and we had requests to bring them back for this special event,” Collins said. “Their music is the perfect mixture of favorites for crowds of all ages.”
Internationally recognized artist Mark Landis who was featured at the 2016 event, has donated several pieces again this year and will be creating a special piece during the silent auction which will be included in the live auction. Mark Landis was diagnosed with schizophrenia at age 17. As a small and sickly child, he spent most of his time indoors and had an eye for drawing. Mark is noted as saying, “I was never good at making friends, so I drew. I drew images out of books to show to my mother. I always wanted to please her.” That desire led him to where he is today and to find the silver lining in his condition.
Mark Landis became internationally recognized for creating art he forged and donated to museums across the country for more than 30 years. His only desire was to be accepted. Landis’ story is one-of-a-kind and his one-of-a-kind art will be featured at Art of Healing this year. It is great to know that no matter what type of health issues a person has, they can have an amazing talent.
South Central Regional Medical Center has conducted free community health screenings and other community health initiatives for years. Over the years thousands of area residents have participated in their free screening programs and many lives have been saved as a result of the initiatives. Rather than treating a condition after it has progressed to an advanced stage one should participate in prevention programs which can prevent disease or identify disease early so that it has a better cure rate.
The cost of providing free health screenings can be high, but South Central provides them as a service to the community. Screenings for hypertension, body mass index, grip strength, balance, vision, hearing, colon cancer, skin cancer, prostate cancer, depression, diabetes, sleep apnea and other conditions continue to be offered free of charge because of the generous contributions made at the Art of Healing and other foundation events.
“Life threating conditions are found at these events and it is nice to know as a result of your sponsorship, art donation or your attendance lives will be saved.”
When it comes to treating potentially serious conditions, early diagnosis is key. Generally, the earlier you begin treatment for a condition, the greater your chance for a full recovery. It does not matter if you are in the best shape of your life, a serious condition can occur without signs or symptoms and may be lurking in your body. It is important to know that some health conditions have no symptoms to alert you that something is wrong. Some conditions run in your family, like colon cancer, so prevention and early detection is key so that you can stay healthy.
The 2017 Art of Healing auctions will feature items donated by artists through the United States, including woodwork, oil, acrylic, stained glass, handmade jewelry, leather goods, watercolor, chalk, photography and more. Along with the art, the event will feature a “Friends of the Foundation” silent auction category, which will include items donated by businesses and individuals, such as specialty dinners, vacations, skincare products, handbags, photography sessions, fine wine and more.
There will be a delicious array of food catered by The Gables, including: Carved Brisket with assorted bread and sauces, a pasta station with a chef to personalize each dish, hand-tossed sensation salad, open face tomato bacon sandwich served on crostini, shrimp and grits, shrimp toast bites, warm spinach artichoke with toast points, warm chicken salad served with crostini, dessert assortment, and a beverage and coffee station, and several bars. To celebrate the 65th Anniversary of South Central Regional Medical Center, a special cake presentation will be made during the event.
“The 2017 Art of Healing will be a night to remember and we hope you are there to celebrate. The dress for the evening is cocktail attire. To purchase tickets or for more information, please visit scrmc.com or call 601-399-0503. The event will be held at The Gables at 1915 Bush Dairy Road in Laurel,” Collins concluded.