MOSES LAKE - About 150 guests mingled and enjoyed live music provided by the Bahuru Marimba Band at the Samaritan Healthcare Foundation's fundraiser.

The "An Evening in Rio" weekend event raised about $12,000, according to Dave Campbell, the foundation's executive director.

Funds go toward the $37,765 cost of adding hologic R2 digital computer-aided detection to Samaritan Hospital's digital mammography equipment, he explained.

Last year's event raised $10,900.

He describes the event as a "relaxing evening of great food, great wine and great company."

Campbell explained how fund-raising event income and donation support are important in meeting the community expectations of care at Samaritan Hospital in Moses Lake.

"Over the past several years, the ability of Samaritan Healthcare to purchase vital patient care equipment has been impacted by state and federal efforts to reduce Medicare and Medicaid expenditures, as well as by the uncompensated care provided by Samaritan Hospital for the people who choose to use our services," he states.

Jamie Nyugen and her husband, Khanh Nguyen, were among the guests mingling at the event. Jamie Nyugen said she attended because her employer, CliftonLarsonAllen, sponsored a table.

Scott Campbell, of Moses Lake, chair of the Moses Lake Community Health Center board, another table sponsor, said he attended as a guest and a foundation supporter.

"I think this is a great event to support healthcare in our community," Campbell said.

Although Campbell no longer works at Samaritan, he said he remains a supporter.

Julie Weisenburg, a foundation board member and a Grant County Hospital District No. 1 commissioner, said she thinks it is a great event to support healthcare and the community.

She commented about the great wines from Dry Falls Cellars.

"Whether I was on the board or not, I would still attend," she commented. "It's a good event and a good cause.

Alan Coulter was pouring wine for Dry Falls Cellars. His wife is one of the business's owners at the family winery.

"You get seen, you get the name out, you get exposure," Coulter said.

Event sponsors were Argus Insurance, Inc., Columbia Basin Herald, Dry Falls Cellars and Sterling Savings Bank.