TCMH Hutcheson Pharmacy to Host Customer Appreciation Event
October 16, 2015Safe Room Open to Businesses Practicing Drills
October 22, 2015The Texas County Memorial Hospital Healthcare Foundation is gearing up for the Ninth Annual Chili Cook Off on Sat., Nov. 7th from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. in the Community Building at the Texas County Fairgrounds. The Foundation is hosting the event to raise funds to benefit TCMH Hospice of Care.
Jay Gentry, director of the Healthcare Foundation, is overseeing the chili cook off and related activities. “In 2015 the Foundation brought in over $44,250 for Hospice of Care,” he said. “We have a tradition of holding an event that provides fun and entertainment for all ages and raises much needed funds for a really good cause.”
The TCMH Healthcare Foundation Chili Cook Off will feature 17 teams competing for chili prizes and in raising money for Hospice of Care. The event will also feature music, a live auction, a chili dog eating contest, a cake walk and booths with special foods or games as well as the opportunity to sample all the chili.
Chili cooking teams are comprised of five people and are sponsored by businesses and organizations. Currently Intercounty Electric Cooperative; Landmark Bank in Houston; Community Bank N.A.; Raymondville United Methodist Church; Houston Walmart Supercenter; Mercy Clinic-Houston; Houston High School Administration; Kerr Healthcare Services; The Durham Company; Gentry Residential Treatment Center; Spearpoint, LLC; Drury University and Cox College Cabool Campus; Cabool State Bank; Bank of Houston; Air Evac Lifeteam; Dr. Christopher Baldwin, and Dr. Philip Brackett have sponsored chili cooking teams.
“There’s some healthy competition among our hospital departments, too,” Gentry said. “The TCMH EMS team and Dr. Baldwin’s team will vie again for the ‘People’s Choice’ chili title, and the TCMH med surg and dietary departments have also thrown their hats in the ring again this year.”
A handmade, queen-size quilt will be raffled at the 9th Annual Chili Cook Off. A St. Louis Cardinals fire pit and a Duck Unlimited water color are two of the live auction items at the cook off.
The auction features handmade and donated items. Harold Mitchell made and donated a handmade hutch honor of his mother who was in Hospice of Care service. Other donated items in the auction include tickets to a St. Louis Rams game and time on the field during the pre-game warm up; one locally raised beef; a three-night stay in Las Vegas; a St. Louis Cardinals branded fire pit; a guided gamebird hunt at Ozark Wings in Caulfield; a Branson holiday getaway for two, and a framed Ducks Unlimited print.
Several large raffle items will also be awarded to winners at the event.
All of the chili cook off teams are raffling tickets for a Polaris Sportsman ETX four-wheeler; a Ruger Predator.223 Kryptek rifle, and a queen-size quilt, “Summer Flowers”, pieced by Peggy Holder and Ann Berger. The raffle items will be immediately awarded following the live auction.
Brandon Beck, meteorologist at Springfield television station KY3, will again serve as the master of ceremonies for the day’s events.
“Hospice of Care has a long tradition and a well known reputation for providing physical, mental and spiritual care for terminally ill patients and their family members in Texas County and the surrounding area regardless of their ability to pay for the services,” Gentry said. “Many people look forward to the annual Hospice fundraising event as a way to give back to a charity that has benefited them, their family or friends.”
Hospice of Care provides end of life care for patients and their families regardless of a patient’s ability to pay for the service. If insurance coverage is not available, Hospice of Care may use Chili Cook Off funds to purchase medications in addition to providing care at no charge.
“Our goal is to raise at least $50,000 for Hospice of Care through the raffles, cook off ticket sales, the auction and team fundraising,” Gentry said, noting that the proceeds from the Chili Cook Off remain in Texas County to benefit area residents.
The Healthcare Foundation has a special “Hospice Fund” for the chili cook off money and other hospice donations such as memorials. “A very important aspect of the annual Hospice of Care fundraising event is that all money raised at the event will stay in the Texas County area to benefit area patients,” Gentry said.
“We want everyone to come out to our event, bring their kids, and have an afternoon of fun while raising money for a very worthy cause,” Gentry said. “Once again, the Foundation board of directors and Hospice of Care staff are excited to bring this event to the community.”
Tickets to the event are $10 for adults and $5 for children and are available through Hospice of Care and the Healthcare Foundation at TCMH.
For more information about a sponsorship or to make a gift in support of the chili cook off, contact the TCMH Healthcare Foundation, (417) 967-1377 or online at www.tcmh.org.
