Upstate Charitable Group Announces Upcoming Changes
The Foothills Gala, an upstate philanthropic organization created to provide support for struggling local charities, has announced changes in its internal structure and upcoming signature event.
In a recent statement by one of the Gala’s founders, upstate businessman Neal Workman, founder and chairman of the board of Trehel Corporation, announced that the group’s board has tapped Cindy Swafford, senior vice president of Community First Bank, to serve as the 2012 Foothills gala executive director.
Swafford will immediately assume the executive director’s role as former director, Judith Witthoeft, moves to fill the chair of the support services and charity liaison committee.
In another organizational change, The Foothills Gala board announced a major transformation of the Gala’s signature event, held in late February of each year. The Gala will move from a traditional black-tie event to a theme which more accurately ties the charity event to the organization’s core mission of providing support for local “grassroots” charities.
The event’s new theme, “Diamonds and Denim,” represents a merging of the event’s original philosophy with a new down-to-earth focus on real issues faced by local non-profits and the people they serve.
“It’s about being in touch with real concerns we face every day in our communities,” Workman said. “We want our organization to stay grounded with the issues being dealt with in all our neighborhoods, such as hunger, homelessness, and family problems created by our economic times.”
New director Cindy Swafford re-affirmed the group’s commitment to a shift towards a more casual event, one more connected to the people and charities the group serves.
“We think ‘Diamonds and Denim’ takes us back to our roots, but at the same time, will raise public awareness of our communities’ needs with a fun, casual celebration that is designed to find the dollars to help these charities keep their doors open.”
The Foothills Gala group is already hard at work on the transformation of the signature event which will be held February 25, 2012, at the T. Ed Garrison arena in Pendleton. Businesses or individuals interested in partnering with The Foothills Gala should contact Linda Cowart, 864-654-6582,for sponsorship information.
Swafford said applications for charities who wish to be considered for this year’s funding are available now online at www.thefoothillsgala.org, or they may be obtained by calling Cindy Swafford at 864-886-7444. This year’s deadline for submittal of charity applications is September 27th.
Since 2001 The Foothills Gala has raised more than $430,000 to support charitable organizations in the counties of Anderson, Pickens, and Oconee Counties.
For more information:
Cindy Swafford, Executive Director
The Foothills Gala
864-886-7444
