About 1,000 people showed up in their finest Saturday night for the third Hearts of Gold Ball, a biannual event that benefits Lawrence Memorial Hospital Endowment.

Attendees mingled for more than an hour before sitting down to dinner and a short program, participating in live and silent auctions and dancing until midnight.

“It’s the formal event of Lawrence,” said event co-chair Jan McCullough. “It appeals to a diverse group of people because I think we all know how important the hospital is.”

This year’s ball, at the East Hills Business Center, also paid tribute to Lawrence philanthropist and developer Bob Billings, who died Feb. 13. Proceeds from the night will go toward building a cardiac observation unit at the hospital in memory of him.

“The hospital was always one of his special interests,” McCullough said, noting that Billings served on the hospital’s operating board for nine years and the endowment board for several more.

McCullough said the original goal was to raise nearly $200,000 with the event, tickets for which were $125 each.

But once Billings’ name was attached to the observation unit — expected to cost about $450,000 — donations seemed to come more freely.

“Frankly, I think we’ll make it,” she said.

Past balls have raised $65,000 and $127,000, respectively.

The ball, which took seven months of planning and more than 100 volunteers, had a “travel” theme, and each corner of the building represented a different continent where corresponding foods were served.

The band Atlantic Express provided background and dancing music.

A slide-show tribute to Billings rolled as people browsed through silent auction items that included everything from a round of golf to pieces of art.

“Hopefully we’ll get all of that out of the way, because this group likes to dance,” McCullough said.