Final Call to Purchase Tickets for the Black & White Ball
October 17, 2025 - The John C. Fremont Hospital Foundation invites you to a premier Mariposa fundraising event: the Black and White Ball. It’s happening on Saturday, November 8, at the Fairgrounds starting at 5:00 PM. The theme is The Season to Sparkle.
Get your tickets now; ticket sales end October 25.
Your $100 tickets include amazing appetizers and dinner from Chef Dawn Pliche of Willow Creek Catering, music from The Soul Galaxy featuring singer Cynthia Huddleston-
Bennett, a no-host bar operated by 1850 Restaurant + Brewing Company, and a chance to mingle with friends and community members in an elegant, festive atmosphere in support of a most worthy cause. It’s going to be a night of fun with a few surprises along the way.
Pictured: The Soul Galaxy, featuring Cynthia Huddleston-Bennett, will set the mood with background music during dinner followed by up-tempo rock, blues, reggae, and funk music to add special atmosphere to this year's Black and White Ball.
Dress to the hilt or in whatever mountain formal means to you, but don’t miss this first-class event. Make it an evening out with your friends. Purchase a table of eight and receive a complimentary drink package for the evening.
Chef Dawn Pliche is preparing a feast, including your choice of entree: New York steak medallions with caramelized garlic and onion shallots, chicken piccata with capers and mushrooms, salmon with lemon saffron beurre blanc, or Tuscan portobello mushroom served with zucchini pasta.
Three-piece band, The Soul Galaxy, is adding singer Cynthia Huddleston-Bennett for the night. They will set the mood with background music during dinner followed by up tempo rock, blues, reggae, and funk music for dancing after dinner.
In addition, the fundraiser includes fantastic items in both a silent and live auction as well as a raffle. Some examples include: a gorgeous high-top bistro set, donated by ACE Hardware; a week in Las Vegas across from the Bellagio fountains; a night and spa experience donated by Tenaya Lodge; and a metal sculpture donated by the increasingly commissioned McGrath Arts These are just four of the many remarkable items donated for your pre-holiday bidding.
Professional auctioneer, Buster Hewlett of Hewlett's Antique Auctions in Le Grand, is back for his third year in a row to turn up the excitement of the live auction.
Like and follow the Foundation’s Facebook and Instagram pages at @JCFHospitalFoundation, or bookmark its website, JCFHospitalFoundation.org, to keep posted on what items will be available. The Foundation will continue to update these pages as donations come in, as well as share additional information.
All proceeds from the Black and White Ball directly benefit the Healthcare District’s programs and services, such as the hospital, and outpatient services, as well as scholarships and community health programs in our surrounding rural areas.
“Because of the funds raised through the Black and White Ball, we were able to provide a neonatal/infant warming table to the Healthcare District, serving our youngest, most vulnerable patients,” stated Bernikoff. “This is expensive, but we got it done thanks to you, our community. This is one example of the things we can only do with the public’s support.”
“The Healthcare District has a number of needs,” Bernikoff continued, “but this year, we will be focusing on raising funds for a new ventilator. Three of the top five complaints patients had when visiting the Emergency Department involved respiratory health. Ventilators save lives, and we need a new one to serve our community.”
“Speaking of support, we are extremely grateful to our returning sponsors, and we have added some new ones,” said Anna Meijas, Events Committee Chair.
As of this writing, Black and White Ball sponsors at the $5,000 level are the MACT Health Board, Inc. and Yosemite Hospitality, a division of Aramark. $1,500 level sponsors 
are MERCO Credit Union, WestAmerica Bank, Pioneer Market, Peak Excavating, Warbird, and Sheila Raboy. Sponsoring at the $500 level are Sierra Asset Management, Tim Barnes, DDS, Richard Westfall, and the Bernikoff-Raboy Family. Sponsoring at the $250 level are Supervisor Bobby Macauley (Madera County) and Black Oak Casino.
If you would like to sponsor this event, there are multiple levels to fit any budget. Each level provides significant advertising before and after the event, and other perks. If interested, please contact Fundraising Committee chair Beth Tomsick at beth@jcfhospitalfoundation.org or Miranda Wass at admin@jcfhospitalfoundation.org.
“We are working to create a sparkling, beautiful event,” said Anna Mejias, Foundation Events Committee Chair. “We want to thank our community for being such great supporters as well as provide an opportunity for more people to show their financial support.”
For more information or questions, contact the Foundation at (209) 966-1166, admin@jcfhospitalfoundation.org, or visit our website at jcfhospitalfoundation.org.
To stay up to date with the Foundation’s latest news, like and follow @JCFHospitaFoundation on Facebook and Instagram. You can also sign up for the Foundation's quarterly newsletter: tinyurl.com/jcfenews.
If you would like to support the work of the Foundation but cannot make this year’s ball, you can donate via check to JCFHF, PO Box 1093, Mariposa, CA 95338, or through the online fundraising site at https://www.jcfhospitalfoundation.org/donate. Donations are tax deductible.
Source: John C. Fremont Hospital Foundation