Prepare for a ‘Spectacular’ Evening at VAM Gala

Feb 13, 2019 Re-posted from the February 2019 issue of Vascular Specialist

Purchase tickets today for “Vascular Spectacular,” the elegant evening planned for Friday, June 14, at the Vascular Annual Meeting to benefit the SVS Foundation.

The ticket/donation website (vam19gala.givesmart.com) is now open. Members and friends may purchase their tickets there for the gala and, later, not only arrange to donate items for the Live Auction and Silent Auction but also peruse the listings to see if anything tickles their fancy. Bidding is expected to open sometime in May.

Attendees will enjoy cocktails and dinner, headliner entertainment, both Live and Silent auctions and an evening of conversation and fun with friends and colleagues. All proceeds will benefit the SVS Foundation and the community initiatives, research, scholarships, grants and disaster relief it helps fund. Tickets to the Vascular Spectacular are $250, $150 of which is a tax-deductible donation to the SVS Foundation.

Anyone can register to participate in the Silent Auction via the website, vam19gala.givesmart. com. When bidding opens, bids will be updated in real time and high bidders will be notified when their bids are topped. “This lets all of our members, colleagues and friends be part of the excitement of ‘Vascular Spectacular,’“ said Cynthia Shortell, MD, gala co-chair with Benjamin Starnes, MD. “While we at VAM will be on the East Coast, anyone – on the West Coast or another part of the world – can still participate in the Silent Auction.”

Silent Auction bidding will end during the evening. Because of the rapid pace of live auctions, only those present can participate in that. “But anyone who wants to can view the items ahead of time, and arrange bidding with a friend,” Dr. Shortell advised. “You might come away with something remarkable.”

Both co-chairs are excited about the evening. “It will bring people together on the final evening of VAM to not only have a wonderful time but also to showcase and benefit the important work of the SVS Foundation,” said Dr. Shortell. “It’s going to be spectacular.”

Tags
Vascular Specialist

Related Articles

Education and Representation at the Core of Inclusivity Efforts for DEI Committe

This article was published in the October issue of Vascular Specialist.

The Society for Vascular Surgery’s (SVS) Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) Committee continues to make strides in advancing inclusivity within the organization, with several projects underway to address both ongoing challenges and new opportunities.

Why donate to the SVS PAC?

A few years ago, in his presidential address to the Midwestern Vascular Surgical Society, Mark Mattos, MD, spoke eloquently about the need to “protect our specialty.” A large part of this, he argued, is protecting our patients; no other specialty in medicine can provide the type of comprehensive vascular care that we offer. The daily reality we all face is the potential for declining Medicare reimbursement for our services.

Progress made during year like no other

While the COVID-19 pandemic and its effects dominated 2020–21 fiscal year—including the cancellation of the live 2020 Vascular Annual Meeting (VAM)—it did not deter progress on many important initiatives. “When covid hit, it intensified our focus on what was truly important: our members, their patients and the SVS as their Society,” said Executive Director Kenneth M. Slaw, PhD. “That focus was sustained the past 15 months and it has led to innovation and an unprecedented volume of member value programs.” He outlined important highlights from the fiscal year that ended March 31—just more than a year after the pandemic was declared—and the vital initiatives that continue to move forward.