Pride party benefits Beebe Healthcare
Andy Staton and Patrick Saparito hosted a Pride Party June 17 at their Rehoboth Beach home, where partygoers enjoyed a magical evening of delicious bites, fashionable cocktails and entertainment by America’s Got Talent finalists Brandon and James, and American Idol Top 24 artist Effie Passero. The $500-per-ticket party benefited the Beebe Medical Foundation.
“I am so grateful to Andy Staton and Patrick Saparito for opening their home and their hearts to help strengthen Beebe Healthcare’s mission. As president of the Beebe Medical Foundation, I am grateful to them and all our new supporters for investing in their local not-for-profit community healthcare system,” said Beebe Medical Foundation President Tom Protack.
“Magical. That's the only way to describe the emotion of tonight’s Beebe Medical Foundation Pride event,” said Staton. “Rewind to a year ago when Patrick Saparito and I sat with Major Tom Protack, the president of the Beebe foundation. We candidly voiced our belief that Beebe Hospital hadn't fully recognized or valued the LGBT community, but we had a vision to rewrite that narrative. Our mission was to ignite real, transformative change, from within. We urged Beebe to truly see and embrace its team members, their patients, and the vibrant community that constitutes our shared home. We vowed that if they took steps toward inclusivity, we, the LGBT community, would reciprocate with open hearts.
“Tonight bore witness to that vow. We gathered together to host the first-ever Beebe Medical Foundation Pride fundraiser. While we're still tallying the total, we are overwhelmed by the generosity on display, with donations far exceeding what we could have imagined. In response, Beebe has launched a comprehensive program in line with our request, even presenting its campaign to the hospital board and securing a vote for Pride Day and many other initiatives.
“But none of this would have been possible without the incredible support from each of you, our friends – those we've known for years and those we've met along this journey. Together, we've transformed an ordinary night into a celebration of love, acceptance and change. Thank you for being a part of this extraordinary journey.”
