4 to Receive Medical Foundation Honors

The Ventura County Medical Resource Foundation has selected four honorees for its “Night of Stars 2000” awards dinner Friday.

Peter Gaal, a physician in private practice, has been chosen Physician of the Year. A specialist in cardiovascular and thoracic surgery, Gaal is being honored for his extraordinary dedication to providing patient care, according to foundation officials.

Retired physician David Culton, who specialized in orthopedics and internal medicine, has been selected as Physician Emeritus. He was the former Ventura County General Hospital’s chief of staff and also served as chief of staff and chief of surgery concurrently at Community Memorial Hospital in Ventura.

Louise Davis, a public health nurse, has been chosen Nurse of the Year. She began her career in 1991 at Channel Islands Surgical Center and later worked in the pediatric ward and emergency room at Ventura County Medical Center.

Helen Boyd, public relations and volunteer services director for the county medical center since 1965, has been selected as Volunteer of the Year. Boyd, who once danced professionally, uses her music, dance and theater skills to raise funds to support the hospital. She also produces the hospital’s newsletter.

The annual awards are named in memory of David Fainer, who was the director of the Family Practice Residency Program and the medical director of internal medicine at the county medical center.

Tickets to the awards dinner are $160 each, with reduced price for nurses and hospital volunteers. The proceeds benefit the foundation’s programs and services. It will be held at 6:15 p.m. at the Residence Inn by Marriott, 2101 W. Vineyard Ave., Oxnard.

For more information or an invitation, call 485-8050.