2027 Heart & Soul Gala To benefit $10 million medical pavilion campaign

GREENSBORO, Ga. – The Heart & Soul Gala Committee is pleased to announce the return of one of our region’s most anticipated black-tie fundraising events on Saturday, Feb. 13, 2027, at The Ritz-Carlton Reynolds, Lake Oconee. This year's gala will carry an especially meaningful mission, with all proceeds benefiting the $10 million capital campaign for the new St. Mary's Good Samaritan Medical Pavilion.

The 2027 Heart & Soul Gala Committee is already hard at work planning an extraordinary evening of elegance, entertainment, auction, and philanthropy, bringing together community leaders, residents, and businesses in support of a cause that touches every family in Georgia's Lake Country.

The centerpiece of this year's fundraising efforts is the new $45.6 million St. Mary's Good Samaritan Pavilion, a major investment in the region's healthcare future. The 42,000-square-foot, three-story facility, currently under construction, will significantly expand access to medical services, including primary and specialty care, cardiac rehabilitation, gastroenterology, infusion therapy, outpatient rehabilitation, and pharmacy services.

More than an expansion of facilities, the medical Pavilion represents an important step toward ensuring residents can receive comprehensive, high-quality healthcare close to home, reducing the need to travel outside the community for essential medical services.

Trinity Health has committed $35.6 million toward the project, with the remaining $10 million being raised through community philanthropy.

“This Pavilion is more than a building. It’s an expansion of our healing ministry to provide vitally needed, whole-person care for Greene County and the Lake Country region,” said Stonish Pierce, President and CEO of Trinity Health Georgia, during the project's groundbreaking ceremony. 

For Riezl Baker, chair of the Heart & Soul Gala Committee and longtime member of the St. Mary's Good Samaritan Foundation Board, the project is especially meaningful. 

“Since our hospital first opened, the Heart & Soul Gala has brought our community together with a shared purpose, and we are incredibly grateful for the generosity and unwavering support of our residents and businesses,” said Baker. “It is truly remarkable to see how far we have come. We are fortunate to have this level of healthcare right in our own backyard.”

The gala committee is extending a special invitation to area businesses, corporations, families, and community members to attend and become sponsors of the 2027 event. In addition to traditional gala sponsorships, this year's capital campaign offers unique naming opportunities associated with the new Medical Pavilion.

The 2027 Heart & Soul Gala will take place Saturday, February 13, 2027, at The Ritz-Carlton Reynolds, Lake Oconee.

For sponsorship information and participation opportunities, contact Riezl Baker, Gala Chair, at (706) 347-2625, or Anneliese Woodall, St. Mary's Foundation, at (770) 617-0377.