Hospital's spring ball raises nearly $250,000

Mahwah, N.J. n An elegant setting, traditional English garden, dinner, dancing and enjoying a magical evening with good friends all helped make the Annual 2007 Gala another memorable event. On Saturday, April 28, St. Anthony Community Hospital in Warwick hosted its Annual Spring Ball at the Sheraton Crossroads in Mahwah. The sold-out event, with ticket sales breaking all previous records, raised just shy of $250,000 and still counting. Proceeds will be used to help fund the modernization and expansion of St. Anthony Community Hospital’s emergency room. Planned improvements are part of the overall modernization of the hospital to better serve the community’s healthcare needs. Apart from raising funds for the benefit of the hospital, the Spring Ball is also an opportunity to honor members of the community, a member of the medical staff and an outstanding hospital employee. This year, the Warwick Healthcare Campus, which is comprised of St. Anthony Community Hospital, Schervier Pavilion and Mount Alverno Center, paid tribute to Dr. John L. Fiore, Diane DeFreest, RNC, MS, and the Kennedy family. John L. Fiore, M.D., is a long-time Warwick Internal Medicine and Geriatrics specialist and partner with the Warwick Medical Associates. He received the prestigious 2007 Lifetime Achievement Award, which recognizes distinguished medical leaders for professional excellence. Diane DeFreest, RNC, MS, nurse manager of the Kennedy Birthing Center, received the Dedicated Employee Award. She’s been with St. Anthony Hospital since 1974, and was honored for her compassion and outstanding service to the hospital. The Kennedy family, founders of The Kennedy Birthing Center at St. Anthony Community Hospital, received the Caring for Life Award in recognition of their outstanding contributions to the Warwick community as well as for their longtime support and commitment to the Warwick Healthcare Campus.