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October 21, 2016Jennifer Gunter is Employee of the Month
October 21, 2016
The Texas County Memorial Hospital Healthcare Foundation is gearing up for the Tenth Annual Chili Cook Off on Sat., Nov. 5th 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 $48,300 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 14 teams competing for chili prizes and in raising money for Hospice of Care. The event will also feature live music by the band Deep Fried Squirrel, a live auction, a chili dog eating contest 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; Security Bank of the Ozarks; Raymondville United Methodist Church; Houston Walmart Supercenter; Mercy Clinic-Houston; Houston High School Administration; Gentry Residential Treatment Center; Peoples Community Bank; Bank of Houston; Air Evac Lifeteam; Forbes Pharmacy Powered by Walgreens; Dr. Christopher Baldwin; Dr. Randal Qualls, and Dr. Philip Brackett have sponsored chili cooking teams.
“We have added the component of a popular band to this year’s cook off in hopes that we would bring out some additional guests that just want to eat chili and listen to music,” Gentry said.
The five-person band, Deep Fried Squirrel, hails from Southwest Missouri. The band is known for upbeat, bluegrass and Americana original music and covers. Deep Fried Squirrel will begin playing at 11 a.m.
A live auction held at 2 p.m. in the Community Building will be a major portion of the fundraising for the day.
The auction features handmade and donated items. Harold Mitchell made and donated a handmade coffee table made of sycamore wood to honor of his mother who was in Hospice of Care service. Other donated items in the auction include a Revolution 24 gun safe by Liberty Safe; one locally raised beef; a guided game bird hunt at Ozark Wings in Caulfield; a Branson holiday getaway for two, and an outdoors package featuring a YETI cooler and a kayak.
Two large raffle items will also be awarded to winners at the event.
All of the chili cook off teams are raffling tickets for a Kawasaki Mule utility vehicle and a Stoeger Double Defense shotgun. 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. Hospice of Care also uses funds from the cook off for palliative care training and materials for patients and the family and friends of hospice patients.
“Our goal is to raise at least $40,000 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.