The Lupus Foundation of America, North Carolina Chapter (LFANC) has announced the King and Queen of its 10th Annual Lupus Mardi Gras Gala.

Mike Smiley and Amy Taylor will be crowned King and Queen of the Lupus Mardi Gras Gala that is presented by the Dickerson Family Trust. The event will take place on Saturday, March 5, 2016 from 7:00PM – Midnight at CenterStage@NoDa located at 2315 N. Davidson Street in Charlotte.

Emulating the Mardi Gras tradition of naming a King and Queen, each year, the King's Court Committee and the LFANC staff select a Mardi Gras King and Queen for that year's Gala. The King and Queen are individuals who exemplify philanthropic royalty.

Taylor, who resides in Columbus, Ohio, is the honoree for whom the Lupus Mardi Gras Gala was founded ten years ago. Diagnosed with lupus at age 20, Taylor has worked in the health care field during her career including the past eight years in the home health. She graduated from the University of Mississippi with a bachelor’s degree in exercise science. In addition to the role that she and her family have played in the creation of the gala, Taylor is also a past top fundraiser for the Lupus Foundation of America (LFA) chapter in Ohio, and has joined other lupus advocates from across the country in Washington, DC for the LFA’s National Lupus Advocacy Summit.

A resident of Mountain Island Lake, N.C., Mike Smiley is president of Penland Financial Advisors. He has been involved in the Lupus Mardi Gras Gala every single year as a sponsor, attendee and supporter. When he hasn’t been able to attend the event, he still either sponsored or participated in the auction by proxy. He has also donated his services to set up the LFANC’s employee retirement fund, and manages the family trust for the Dickersons who have been the title sponsor of the gala.

“We are incredibly grateful for the support and inspiration that Mike [Smiley] and Amy [Taylor] have breathed into our organization and look forward to honoring them as our 2016 Mardi Gras Gala King and Queen,” said Christine John-Fuller, President & CEO of the Lupus Foundation of America, North Carolina Chapter. “We are excited to have them among our Mardi Gras Royalty at this year’s gala and to celebrate their dedication to this event and to raising funds and awareness for lupus.”

Previous Gala Kings & Queens include: The Ward Family of Rocky Mount, N.C. (2015); Travis Manchester and Patty Dunn (2014); John Hairr and Susan Rowe (2013); Drs. John and Amanda Grimes (2012); Dr. Peter Capizzi and Brenda Stubbs (2011); and Tony Kouskolekas and Maria Dunn (2010); Richard Sharpe and Zaira Hidalgo (2009).

Presented by the Dickerson Family Trust, the event will feature entertainment by Hot Sauce, Creole cuisine, a silent auction, photo booth, fortune teller and more. Guests will also be treated to a Mardi Gras Masquerade Contest, luxury raffle, and in addition to the crowning of the Gala King & Queen. Master of Ceremonies for the event will be Nathan Ritchie, from The Lake 102.9. Tickets are $175 per person through Feb. 26. Guests must be 21 years of age to attend. To order tickets online, by phone or by mail, visit www.lupusnc.org or call 704-716-5640. Table sponsorships are also available. All proceeds "help unmask lupus" and benefit LFANC.

This annual event was founded in 2007 by Dr. Ginger Dickerson, a physician with Eastover University OBGYN. Dr. Dickerson, along with her brother Todd and father Don, created the Dickerson Family Trust to support of the Lupus Foundation of America and to honor their sister, Amy Taylor, who was diagnosed with lupus at the age of 20. Since its beginning, the Lupus Mardi Gras Gala has raised more than $500,000.

For questions, contact the LFANC office at 704-716-5640 or email info@lupusnc.org. For more information about the 10th Annual Lupus Mardi Gras Gala, visit http://lupusmardigrasgala.kintera.org/2016

About Lupus:

Lupus is an unpredictable and misunderstood autoimmune disease that ravages different parts of the body. It is difficult to diagnose, hard to live with, and a challenge to treat. Lupus is a cruel mystery because it is hidden from view and undefined, has a range of symptoms, hits out of nowhere, and has no known cause and no known cure. Its health effects can range from a skin rash to a heart attack. Lupus is debilitating and destructive, and can be fatal, yet research on lupus remains underfunded relative to its scope and devastation.

About the Lupus Foundation of America, North Carolina Chapter

The Lupus Foundation of America, North Carolina Chapter is part of the national force devoted to solving the cruel mystery of lupus while providing caring support to those who suffer from its brutal impact. Serving an estimated 45,000 living with lupus in North Carolina, the chapter is the center of excellence for those affected by lupus, bridging patients, their families, caregivers, and the medical community. For more information about lupus or the LFANC, visit www.lupusnc.org or call (877) 849-8271. For the latest news and updates, follow us on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.