Signal Mountain resident Tracie LeSar first became involved with the Project Access initiative that provides health care to people who are at least 150 percent below the poverty level without access to health insurance, six years ago.
She has been chairing the initiative’s annual fundraiser, Denim and Diamonds, ever since with the help of Kevin Lusk, development director of the Medical Foundation of Chattanooga.
When LeSar began chairing the event, it had an average attendance of around 350 people, Lusk said. Around 700 people are expected at this year’s event, being held at the Chattanooga Convention and Trade Center Saturday, Feb. 22 at 7 p.m. Last year’s event broke the $100,000 mark for the first time, he said.
“We attribute a lot of that to Tracie and her ability to make the event such a success,” said Lusk. “Everyone knows it’s going to be a great party because Tracie’s name is involved.”
LeSar’s husband is a physician who began volunteering with Project Access when the couple first moved here 10 years ago.
“I saw the potential of where it could go,” LeSar said, as to why she wanted to be involved with Project Access. “I love that it provides health care for those who don’t have it. It’s a way to give back, especially with all the blessings we’ve been offered.”
Most patients who receive care through Project Access have been laid off from their jobs, she said. Their primary care physician refers them to Project Access, which then connects them with one of more than 700 volunteer physicians in the area to fix anything from a broken bone to cancer.
“Health care facilities totally write off the care,” said Lusk, adding that the goal is for the patient to go back to work and get insurance.
“Everything stays here that we raise,” said LeSar.
Project Access started in 2004, and this is the 10th fundraiser held in its benefit, Lusk said. LeSar’s husband’s partner, Dr. Joe Cofer, was one of its founders, he added.
The theme of this year’s Denim and Diamonds is the Roaring 20s, and attendees are encouraged to dress as flappers, gangsters or their favorite icon of the era.
“We try to do a different theme every year,” said LeSar. “We try to come up with a theme that gives people an opportunity to dress up and have fun with it.”
Lusk said the organizers chose the Denim and Diamonds name because many men did not want to dress up in black-tie attire, yet the women still wanted to don their gowns. So they allowed the men to wear jeans and the women still wore their finest.
“What’s so great about this event is that we have so much participation from the community, and not just the medical community,” he said.
Tickets are $100 per person, which includes dinner.
“We have a great menu lined up,” LeSar said, noting that includes a breakfast bar and sushi bar.
The event will also feature a DJ and a live and silent auction with 75 items. An additional online auction with more than 300 items can be found at chattdenim.org.