Haiti’s Visitation Hospital event honors Ed Johnston

Visitation Hospital Foundation invites the community to a gala event at OZ Nashville from 6-10 p.m.
Sept. 6.
The fundraiser “With a Little Help from Our Friends: A Benefit for Visitation Hospital Foundation” will honor Ed Johnston of Franklin, who will receive the organization’s first Jim Carell Award.
“After brainstorming with students about ways to give back and help others, Ed decided to arrange a mission trip to Haiti with his students at Father Ryan High School, and traveled there each year for four consecutive years from 1969 to 1973,” said Fran Rajotte, associate director of Visitation Hospital Foundation.
“These trips opened minds and hearts, even amidst the poorest of conditions. The group gained as much as they contributed,” she said.
“Ed has continued to serve the people of Haiti,” Rajotte said. “He joined Visitation Hospital Foundation’s fundraising efforts in 2004 and during the years that followed helped raise over $700,000 to build the Visitation Clinic in Petite Rivière de Nippes. Ed served as a board member in 2005 to 2007 and his network of past students and friends in the Nashville, Memphis and Chattanooga areas were a huge support during our earlier years.”
VHF Executive Director Sarah McCool gave her thanks to the Nashville community for their support of the work to provide health care and health education for the people of Haiti. “The Nashville community’s support has resulted in the clinic’s 80 percent decrease in child malnutrition cases, elimination of worms in children and adults and a healthier community due to our water purification distribution efforts,” McCool stated.
A cocktail reception will be followed by a silent auction, buffet dinner, brief presentation, a live auction hosted by Nashville’s Phil Ponder and professional auctioneer Earl Campbell. Live music is provided by the WannaBeatles, a Grammy nominated Nashville-based Beatles tribute band. OZ Nashville is at 6172 Cockrill Bend Circle, Nashville.
Dress is cocktail attire and coat and tie. Cost is $125 per person at www.visitationhospital.org or by email at fran@visitationhospital.org. For more information call 615-673-3501.
If you go
Dress is cocktail attire and coat and tie. Cost is $125 per person at www.visitationhospital.org or by email at fran@visitationhospital.org. A cocktail reception will be followed by a silent auction, buffet dinner, brief presentation, a live auction hosted by Nashville’s Phil Ponder and professional auctioneer Earl Campbell. Live music is provided by the WannaBeatles, a Grammy nominated Nashville-based Beatles tribute band. OZ Nashville is at 6172 Cockrill Bend Circle, Nashville. For more information, call 615-673-3501.
http://www.tennessean.com/story/news/local/williamson/franklin/2014/08/31/haitis-visitation-hospital-event-honors-ed-johnston/14895591/