Ocala, Florida- On Friday, April 29 2011, Munroe Foundation hosted its 6th Annual Flavors of Munroe fundraiser. Close to 250 guests attended this year’s event, which raised over $400,000. The night included a $100,000 donation by the Jett Travolta Foundation and a $125,000 donation from Signature Brands. All proceeds raised benefited Munroe Regional Medical Center’s Children’s Emergency Department project.

“When our son Benjamin was born, we were impressed with the doctors, nurses and staff of Munroe Regional Medical Center. We so appreciated their professionalism, security and results. When we heard they were building a Children’s Emergency Department for infants to 17 year olds, we thought that it was a needed and worthwhile addition to the community. It is the perfect project for the Jett Travolta Foundation to support,” said John Travolta & Kelly Preston.

Picture: John pictured with Beth McCall, Executive Director of the Munroe Foundation & Steve Purves, President & CEO Munroe Regional Center

The Munroe Foundation has pledged to raise $2 million to support Munroe Regional’s Children’s Emergency Department project. Children account for over 25,000 visits to Munroe Regional’s Emergency Department per year. This new Children’s Emergency Department will be located inside of Munroe Regional, adjacent to the medical center’s main emergency department. The new Children’s Emergency Department will house nine exam rooms, a family waiting room, an x-ray and triage center and will have board certified physicians in pediatric emergency medicine.

“The Munroe Foundation Board of Directors is excited about the opportunity to raise money for the children of Marion County,” said Beth McCall, Executive Director of the Munroe Foundation. “The $2,000,000 the board will raise for the Children’s Emergency Department will help continue to meet the needs of our community and provide our children with compassionate and quality care.”

Prior to Friday evening, The Foundation’s annual Flavors of Munroe event had raised over $190,000 in the past five years and has helped fund projects such as the nursery expansion, the development of palliative care rooms and the operating room expansion project at Munroe Regional Medical Center.

The mission of the Munroe Foundation is to encourage philanthropic support for Munroe Regional Medical Center. For more information or to make a gift to the Children’s Emergency Department project please call 352-351-7233 or at www.munroefoundation.com