Baptist Health Foundation’s An Evening of Gratitude 2026 Celebrates Donors to Baptist Health Mariners Hospital
TAVERNIER, FL – February 3, 2026 – More than 170 guests attended An Evening of Gratitude benefiting Baptist Health Mariners Hospital, which was held on Saturday, January 24 at the Cheeca Lodge & Spa in Islamorada, Florida. The event, presented by Kathy and Steve Holmes, raised nearly $300,000 as the Foundation celebrated its Giving Society members and other donors to Mariners Hospital in Tavernier. All proceeds from the evening will support overall needs at the hospital.
The event featured a cocktail hour, dinner, live auction, live band and more. Speakers included Joe Natoli, Baptist Health EVP and chief administrative officer; Emily Carter, event chair; Bette Brown, Mariners Hospital Board chair; Audra Hill, Foundation council chair for Mariners Hospital; and Drew Grossman, Mariners Hospital and Fishermen’s Community Hospital CEO.
“Exceptional, compassionate patient care is so important to all of us,” said Bette Brown. “The amazing team at Mariners Hospital work hard to provide the quality of care we all want for our friends, families and community.”
Drew Grossman added, “At Mariners Hospital, we provide care for our community when it’s needed most, and we are dedicated to excellence in every respect. However, as a not-for-profit organization, we can’t accomplish it without generous support. Community support has been, and is, an essential part of our culture.”
Presenting sponsors of the event were Kathy and Steve Holmes. The Premier Live Auction Sponsor was Islamorada Pools. Silver sponsors included BankUnited, Everglades Alligator Farm, TD Bank and Roxana Zedan. Bronze sponsors included Barb & Mike Benninger and Family, First State Bank, Elaine and William Gilbert, Jr., Pam and Bob Kubic, Maureen and Col. William McDonough, MHK Architecture, Radiology Associates of Florida and Holly Raschein.
Founded in 1962, Baptist Health Mariners Hospital in Tavernier is a vital part of the Florida Keys community and a top-rated hospital in Florida for quality, safety and low readmission rate. The facility is a 25-bed critical access hospital with medical-surgical and intensive care units as well as orthopedics, cancer care, neurology and advanced imaging resources. Its dedicated, bilingual staff and highly skilled doctors provide a top-quality, caring patient experience.
About Baptist Health Foundation
The mission of Baptist Health Foundation is to inspire philanthropy and build extraordinary donor relationships in support of excellence, innovation, community wellness and global leadership in healthcare at Baptist Health. Through philanthropy, the Foundation supports and expands Baptist Health’s ability to provide outstanding patient care and bring the latest treatments to patients and families affected by a serious illness. Donor contributions also allow the Foundation to assist Baptist Health facilities in keeping pace with technology and equipment advances, perform cutting-edge research and offer continuing education opportunities to medical staff. Learn more at BaptistHealth.net/Foundation and connect with us on Instagram and Facebook.
About Baptist Health
Baptist Health is the largest healthcare organization in the region, with 12 hospitals, more than 29,000 employees, 4,500 physicians and 200 outpatient centers, urgent care facilities and physician practices spanning across Miami-Dade, Monroe, Broward and Palm Beach counties. Baptist Health has internationally renowned institutes specializing in cancer care, brain and spine care, heart and vascular care and orthopedic care. In addition, it includes Baptist Health Medical Group; Baptist Health Quality Network; and The Baptist Health PineApp, a virtual health platform. Baptist Health South Florida is an academic and clinical affiliate of Florida International University Herbert Wertheim College of Medicine. A not-for-profit organization supported by philanthropy and committed to its faith-based charitable mission of medical excellence, Baptist Health has been recognized by Fortune as one of the 100 Best Companies to Work For in America and is the most awarded healthcare system in South Florida by U.S. News and World Report. For more information, visit BaptistHealth.net/Newsroom and connect with us on Facebook, X (formerly Twitter), Instagram, TikTok and LinkedIn.
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