The Arthritis Foundation announced it will host its first Woman of the Year Gala in Des Moines on Sept. 20. The inaugural event will honor Melissa Clarke-Wharff, founder of Courage League Sports, an adaptive recreation facility serving kids and adults with special needs in Greater Des Moines. The annual gala will help bring awareness of the more than 572,000 Iowans living with arthritis. The Woman of the Year Gala begins at 6 p.m. and includes a cocktail hour, dinner and a silent auction. Tickets are $125 per person, and all proceeds will support the Arthritis Foundation’s mission. For more information and to purchase tickets, click here.