Golden Gala
Journey to Headline 40th Anniversary of TMH Gala
Tallahassee Memorial HealthCare (TMH) and the TMH Foundation proudly announce Golden Gala 2024, featuring Journey. With 48 million albums sold in the U.S., Journey is one of the best-selling rock and roll bands in history. Their worldwide sales of over 100 million records make them one of the top-selling bands of all time.
This is the 40th anniversary of the Golden Gala, Tallahassee’s premier black-tie event and TMH’s largest annual event. The gala will take place at 5:30 pm, Tuesday, March 19, 2024, at the Donald L. Tucker Civic Center.
Hosted by the TMH Foundation, the gala advances TMH’s mission of transforming care, advancing health, and improving lives. Proceeds from the 2024 event will benefit Tallahassee Memorial’s Emergency Services, specifically, the Bixler Trauma and Emergency Center.
Located on TMH’s main campus, the center is the only Level II Trauma Center in the Big Bend region. Collectively, TMH recorded more than 135,000 Emergency and Urgent Care Center visits to its two Urgent Care Centers and two Emergency Centers last year.
Last year’s gala was a sell-out, so it is highly recommended that you secure your table as quickly as possible.
About Golden Gala
Golden Gala dates back to 1984, when a group of dedicated and energetic individuals – lead by the late M.T. Mustian, then President and CEO of TMH, Grace Dansby, Jean McCully, Eleanor Smith and Marcia Thornberry – introduced the “Gala” fundraising concept within the community. This was after considerable deliberation and discussion, and finally, according to Mrs. Dansby, Mr. Mustian said, “We are either going to do it or we are going to quit talking about it.”
And do it, they did. The vision was daunting at the time. “We knew this had to be something different. First class all the way,” said Mrs. Dansby. With that, Mrs. Dansby designed – on the proverbial napkin – the legendary GG logo.
Marcia Thornberry remembers, “We had an army of volunteers who gave hundreds of hours. The TMH Auxiliary organization and the Gala Volunteer Committee went above and beyond the call-of-duty. Within a two-day period, the Civic Center arena became a breathtakingly elegant dining room.” Jean McCully led the transformation where 3,500 yellow mums filled the walkway in the Civic Center arena. Mrs. McCully noted, “The Civic Center really opened its heart and its doors to the TMH family. It was a small beginning to the Golden Gala we celebrate today, but it proved to TMH that it had the Tallahassee community behind it.”
The inaugural gala – starring Barbara Mandrell – was the first of many galas that would benefit from Eleanor Smith’s expertise and leadership. Mrs. Smith said, “No one thought that the first Golden Gala would raise any money. However, everyone pitched in and made it work. Barbara Mandrell dazzled the audience. But, it was the children who would later be patients in TMH’s Neonatal Intensive Care Unit – many of who are now grown and with children of their own – who benefitted the most from that glorious evening.”
Tallahassee Memorial continues to salute and thank all of those in the Golden Gala vanguard and those who have continued to maintain its vibrancy and relevancy as Tallahassee’s premier social and charitable event.
Over its distinguished history from 1984 until today, Golden Gala has generated millions of dollars that have been applied toward a wide variety of programs and services benefiting our community.
Past Entertainers
- 2023 - Keith Urban
- 2022 - OneRepublic
- 2019 – Pentatonix
- 2018 – Hall & Oates
- 2017 – Brad Paisley
- 2016 – James Taylor
- 2015 – John Legend
- 2014 – Lady Antebellum
- 2013 – Maroon 5
- 2012 – Keith Urban
- 2011 – Harry Connick Jr
- 2010 – Sheryl Crow
- 2009 – Earth Wind & Fire
- 2008 – Chicago
- 2007 – Leanne Womack
- 2006 – Glenn Frey
- 2005 – Kenny Loggins
- 2004 – Michael Bolton
- 2003 – Tony Bennett
- 2002 – Barry Manilow
- 2001 – Pointer Sisters
- 2000 – 50s Music
- 1999 – Wynona Judd
- 1998 – Gladys Knight
- 1997 – Natalie Cole
- 1996 – Danny Gans
- 1995 – Barbara Mandrell
- 1994 – Bernadette Peters
- 1993 – Anne Murray/Danny Gans
- 1992 – Johnny Mathis
- 1991 – Paul Anka
- 1990 – Warwick/Bacharach
- 1989 – Oak Ridge Boys
- 1988 – Wayne Newton
- 1987 – John Denver
- 1986 – Donny & Marie Osmond
- 1985 – Glenn Campbell
- 1984 – Barbara Mandrell
