Medical Students to Host Annual Charity Gala & Casino Night

Texas Tech University Health Sciences Center (TTUHSC) School of Medicine first-year students will host the 21st Annual Lubbock City Lights Charity Gala & Casino Night at 6 p.m. April 27 at the Overton Hotel and Conference Center, 2322 Mac Davis Lane.

Medical students began the Lubbock City Lights tradition in 1997. Since then, more than $1 million has been raised and helped numerous local charities and organizations in the West Texas community. Tanir Moreno and Ganesh Maniam are executive co-chairs for this year’s event.

“Supporting deserving charities that provide services for Lubbock and contributing to our community is a privilege,” Moreno said. “Our class is ready to partner with the Lubbock community, make a difference for worthy charities and have fun doing it too.”

This year’s Lubbock City Lights theme is Viva Las Vegas. The event will include a cocktail hour, silent and live auctions, live music and dinner. Afterwards, Casino Night will commence with dancing and casino-style games. There is no money exchange and no value associated with the tokens used to play. Players are encouraged to donate in exchange for tokens. Tokens are then exchanged for tickets, which may be put into drawings for various prizes. Prizes awarded are not equivalent to the amount donated.

“This year’s Viva Las Vegas Casino Night offers fun for the community,” Maniam said. “By attending Lubbock City Lights, you can take pride in knowing your support will benefit four great organizations.”

This year’s charities include:

●      The Free Clinic, a TTUHSC School of Medicine student-run initiative that offers medical services, health education and social resource counseling to the uninsured community of Lubbock every Wednesday.

●      High Point Village, an organization developed for the purpose of providing an enrichment facility and residential living community for individuals with special needs. Their mission is to create a village where individuals with intellectual disabilities can live, learn, work, worship and achieve their full potential through a variety of vocational, educational, social and motivational programs and activities.

●      Women’s Protective Services, an organization that creates an environment of empowerment for women, children and families to eliminate family violence. The services provided are free and confidential and include a 24-hour crisis hotline, shelter, children’s program and assistance in obtaining legal and social services.

●      Team Luke Hope for Minds, which supports families of children impacted by brain injury. Tim Siegel and Ronda Johnson both leveraged their personal experiences with brain injuries to do the most good for children with brain injuries and support and education for their families.

Tickets for Lubbock City Lights are available online. For more information, to purchase tickets or make a donation, visit lubbockcitylights.org.