OJAI VALLEY COMMUNITYHOSPITAL FOUNDATION GUILD1301 Maricopa Hwy.Ojai CA 93023805-640-2317Media Contact: Nita Whaley, 805-649-5083 NIGHTINGALE BALL GALA TO BENEFIT OJAI HOSPITAL For Immediate ReleaseOjai residents will have a chance to put on their party togs and support their local hospital during a gala evening of dining and dancing Nov. 3 at the sixth annual Nightingale Ball at the Pierpont Inn in Ventura.Proceeds from the event will be used to complete the community's share of a new Emergency Room at Ojai Valley Community Hospital. Construction on the project is slated to get under way early next year."In just a few years, the Nightingale Ball has established itself as one of the most successful fund-raising events in the area, raising nearly a half-million dollars for our local hospital," said Nita Whaley, who is co-chairing this year's ball with her husband, Don Anderson. Sponsored by the Ojai Valley Community Hospital Foundation Guild, this year's Nightingale promises to live up to this tradition, offering guests an opportunity to enjoy a formal social evening and make the long-awaited Emergency Room a reality. The 2007 Nightingale Ball will feature music by Jimmy Calire and his band, a raffle and a live auction of items not generally found in the marketplace. Only 125 raffle tickets will be sold, and the winner will be able to select one of three outstanding prizes. Sponsorship and underwriting opportunities are still available to help defray event expenses, and individual tickets may be purchased for $225 each. Raffle tickets are also available at $100 each."The Ojai community has been extremely supportive of our nonprofit hospital over the past several years and recognizes the value of quality hospital services and a modern ER close to home," Whaley said. "We hope to see many of these supporters at the Nightingale Ball." The new Emergency Room will double the capacity of the existing three-bed ER and will provide greater comfort and privacy for patients and family members. The new facility is being funded by community contributions and the Community Memorial Health System, parent organization of the Ojai Hospital.Information on sponsorhip/underwriting opportunities and ticket sales is available at the Hospital Foundation Guild office, 640-2317. ###(10-16-07)