The Pike Medical Foundation hosted its charity dinner this Thursday night at Park Memorial Methodist Church in Troy.

Patrons who bought a ticket to the event were treated to a three-course meal and had the option to bid on multiple donated items in a silent auction to benefit Troy Regional Medical Center.

Steven Garrett, chairman of the Pike Medical Foundation, said funds raised during the dinner would be used to buy new equipment. “The money raised will be spent on buying specialized equipment that will be used in various areas of the hospital to make the facilities better,” Garrett said. “The money is not for upkeep or remodeling.”

Garrett also hoped the dinner would help the hospital’s image in the area. “The dinner is a fun, social gathering,” Garrett said. “It helps to get the hospital’s name out in the community and highlight the services the hospital offers to the community.”

Garrett expected a sizable amount of money to come in to the hospital through the event. “We’re hoping to raise about ten thousand dollars,” Garrett said. “We expect to gross 15 thousand dollars and then net the ten after expenses.”

Garrett said the fundraiser is an example of the hospital and community working together. “The purpose of our foundation is to work with the community, raise funds and outreach doctors,” Garrett said. “The community needs a viable hospital for the well-being and health of the community.”

The hospital is especially in need of money because of changes to the reimbursement of funds from Medicare and Medicaid. Teresa Grimes, the hospital’s CEO, said the hospital stands to lose a large amount of money because of changes in the two programs. “We’ll receive somewhere between $1.5 and $1.8 million because of changes to Medicare and Medicaid,” Grimes said. “Events like this help to lessen that loss.”

Grimes also said she was pleased with the turnout from the event. “It’s important for the community to support its hospital,” Grimes said. “Hospitals are essential to communities like Troy.”