Tickets are now on sale for the third annual Hospice Gala sponsored by the Memorial Medical Center Foundation to raise donations for a fund that helps fulfill the wishes of hospice patients.

The Hospice Gala will be held Saturday, April 12, at the Crowne Plaza, 3000 S. Dirksen Parkway, Springfield. The deadline to purchase tickets is Wednesday, April 2.

A silent auction and cash bar will open at 5 p.m. A welcome and dinner will begin at 6:15 p.m.

Steve Ford, a motivational and inspirational speaker and son of former President and Mrs. Gerald R. Ford, will be the guest speaker. Ford also has more than 25 years of experience as a professional actor; his film credits include “Blackhawk Down,” “Contact,” “Armageddon” and “When Harry Met Sally.”

Proceeds from the event benefit the Sharing Wishes Fund, which provides “an extra-special touch that hospice patients and families appreciate at a very challenging time in their lives,” Elena Kezelis, the Foundation’s executive director, said.

“In its first two years, the Sharing Wishes Fund made the wishes of many hospice patients become a reality, from taking a modest family trip to seeing a favorite band at the Illinois State Fair to riding in a hot-air balloon,” Kezelis said. “We look forward to continuing to make a difference in people’s lives through this fund.”

Tickets are $85 and can be purchased online at MemorialHospiceGala.com or by calling the Memorial Medical Center Foundation at (217) 788-4700.