Houston—Four Texas County Memorial Hospital Youth Ambassadors have received scholarships to help with their academic expenses for the upcoming school year.

Sydney Ice of Licking was awarded $750, and Raegan Campbell of Licking, Grace Rossignol of Plato and Winter Lee of Houston were each awarded $500. All four recipients are 2018 high school graduates.

Ice plans to attend the University of Missouri and pursue a degree in biology and eventually a doctorate degree. Ice hopes to one day become an orthopedic surgeon or a dermatologist.

Campbell plans to attend Missouri State University West Plains for two years, then Missouri State University Springfield to earn a bachelor’s and eventually a doctorate degree. Campbell hopes to become a physician and work in the TCMH emergency room one day.

Rossignol plans to attend Texas County Technical Institute and go through the licensed practical nurse to registered nurse program. Once she completes her education, Rossignol plans to become a traveling nurse.

Lee plans to attend Missouri State University West Plains to become a registered nurse. Lee is currently a certified nurse assistant and works in the TCMH emergency department.

Ice, Campbell, and Lee have all volunteered at TCMH through the Youth Ambassador Program for the past two years, accumulating 102, 75.5, and 101.25 volunteer hours, respectively. Rossignol has volunteered through the Youth Ambassador Program for one year and has accumulated 90 hours.

The students have the opportunity to volunteer in a variety of different departments within the hospital.

“There are a lot of different career paths within the hospital that these students can learn about and experience,” Renina Pearce, volunteer services coordinator, said. “We had a lot more departments open up this year for volunteers, and we are hoping to get more departments involved in the near future.”

Pearce explained that the program is going to continue to improve. Next year, she has plans to implement a mentoring system. Second year Youth Ambassadors will mentor the first year Youth Ambassadors and help them navigate through the program and the hospital.

Funds for the $2,250 in scholarships came from the Youth Ambassador Endowed Scholarship Fund administered by the TCMH Healthcare Foundation.

The Healthcare Foundation set up the fund in 2015 with local community partners and Community Foundation of the Ozarks through the annual “Give Ozarks” day fundraising effort.

Additional scholarship funds for this year were provided through a grant from the Intercounty Charitable and Educational Foundation.

With giving efforts from 2018 and previous years, the Youth Ambassador Endowed Scholarship Fund is at $38,000.

Jay Gentry, Healthcare Foundation director, noted that the Foundation is continuing to grow the endowment fund with hopes of giving away two $750 scholarships permanently to Youth Ambassadors each year.

“The 2018 fund level along with additional donor support allowed us to give out $2,250 total in scholarship funds, a record amount, which is greatly appreciated by the recipients,” Gentry said, adding that in 2019, the endowed fund levels should allow for at least one $750 and one $500 scholarship.

According to Gentry, the Youth Ambassador endowment will need to reach $40,000 to allow two annual $750 scholarships.

Scholarship recipients are asked to fill out an application and write two essays that ask about the student’s future academic and career goals, as well as their involvement in the Youth Ambassadors program.

TCMH Youth Ambassadors are high school juniors or seniors or college students from Texas County, including those from Mountain Grove. The students are chosen in the fall each year, and are required to volunteer a minimum of four hours each month to remain in the program.

Additional information about the Youth Ambassador volunteer program or the Healthcare

Foundation can be found at www.tcmh.org.

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For additional information, contact:

Rachel Davis, MHA

Director of Public Relations/Marketing

Texas County Memorial Hospital

Phone:  417/967-1258

Fax:  417/967-3764

rachel.davis@tcmh.org

Houston, MO— The Texas County Memorial Hospital Healthcare Foundation has opened the application window for $6,500 in educational scholarships for the fall 2018 academic year.

The TCMH Healthcare Foundation Educational Scholarship Program is designed to assist students that are pursuing or planning to pursue education in a healthcare related field or students currently working in healthcare that are pursuing additional education for their current career.

The Healthcare Foundation is in its twelfth year of awarding scholarships in the fall and the spring.  Students from towns across the county have received the scholarships.

In addition to two scholarships from the TCMH Healthcare Foundation, the Healthcare Foundation will also award the “Dr. Joe L. and Judith T. Spears Memorial Scholarship” and the “Dr. Eugene Charles Honeywell Memorial Scholarship”.  Both are endowed funds that are awarded to a deserving student annually.

Healthcare Services Group Charitable Foundation, the purchasing group that TCMH belongs to, provides matching funds for scholarships given by the TCMH Healthcare Foundation.  Those funds are available annually to the Healthcare Foundation and enable the Healthcare Foundation to give out an additional $3,000 in scholarships to area students.

“Educational scholarships are a major focus area of the Healthcare Foundation,” Jay Gentry, TCMH Healthcare Foundation director, stated.  “The board of directors of the Foundation recognizes the need to assist areas students in their educational endeavors with hopes that the student will return to or stay in the Texas County area to provide healthcare services to area residents after receiving additional education.”

The Healthcare Foundation has awarded over $83,000 in scholarship funds since the scholarship program began 12 years ago.

Endowed scholarships provide some of the educational funds, and the Healthcare Foundation hosts an annual golf tournament to raise money for the scholarship program.  The annual golf tournament is planned for early June.

Eligible students for the scholarships must be accepted to or currently enrolled in an accredited university, college or post-secondary training program.  Residents of the TCMH service area—all of Texas County and Mountain Grove—and students that are graduates of Texas County and Mountain Grove schools are eligible to apply.  Applicants already pursuing a career in a healthcare organization, or applicants planning to pursue a career in a health field with direct patient care are eligible to apply for the scholarships.

The scholarship application asks for information about the student and requires a short essay about the student’s career and educational goals.  Applicants are also asked to list community involvement activities on their application, and they may be asked to meet with Foundation board members for a short personal interview.

The deadline for the fall scholarship applications is July 1, 2018.  Awards for the scholarship will be announced no later than September 1, 2018.

For more information about the scholarship program or to receive an application, contact Gentry by phone at (417) 967-1377 or 1-866-967-3311, ext. 4202 or by e-mail at jgentry@tcmh.org.  The scholarship application and complete details are also available at www.tcmhfoundation.org.

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For additional information, contact:

Rachel Davis, MHA

Director of Public Relations/Marketing

Texas County Memorial Hospital

Phone:  417/967-1258

Fax:  417/967-3764

rachel.davis@tcmh.org

Houston, MO— Plans are underway for the thirteenth annual Texas County Memorial Hospital Healthcare Foundation Charitable Golf Tournament at Oakwood Golf Course in Houston on Saturday, June 9^th.

The tournament is a two-person scramble, and a team can play for $120, which includes a cart, green fees, mulligans and lunch.  Tee times are at 8 a.m. and 1 p.m., and the tournament is limited to 40 teams.

Prizes will be awarded in four flights with three places in each flight.  The number of entrants in the tournament will determine prizes and flights.

There will be many prizes awarded including a hole in one prize and prizes for the longest drive and closest to the pin.  Entrants will also be eligible for door prizes.

The TCMH Healthcare Foundation is a non-profit organization with a mission to ensure the quality of healthcare services for children, women and men at TCMH.

“The TCMH Healthcare Foundation golf tournament assists us in developing the funds needed for our scholarship program, and it helps provide resources for capital projects,” Jay Gentry, TCMH Healthcare Foundation director, stated.

The Foundation awards four $1,000 scholarships during the school year—two in the spring and two in the fall—given since 2006.   The scholarships are awarded to students in the TCMH service area that are pursuing additional education in a healthcare field.

The Healthcare Foundation has awarded over $83,000 in scholarship funds since the scholarship program began.

The Foundation is already accepting applications for two $1,000 scholarships and other Foundation administered scholarships that will be awarded for the fall academic semester.

For more information, or to reserve a place in the tournament, contact Gentry at (417) 967-1377.

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For additional information, contact:

Rachel Davis, MHA

Director of Public Relations/Marketing

Texas County Memorial Hospital

Phone:  417/967-1258

Fax:  417/967-3764

rachel.davis@tcmh.org

Houston—The Texas County Memorial Hospital Healthcare Foundation has awarded two $1,000 scholarships to area students to assist with their educational costs for the 2018 spring school semester.

Receiving scholarships from the TCMH Healthcare Foundation were Ashlynn Rogers of Mountain Grove and Grace Buffington of Rolla.   The recipients were chosen among several applicants by members of the Healthcare Foundation board of directors.

Rogers is a student at Cox College in Springfield, MO, and she’s pursuing an associate’s degree in nursing.

Buffington is a student at Rolla Technical Center, and she is pursuing a radiologic technology degree.  Buffington is also currently a radiologic technologist student at TCMH.

“Educational scholarships are a focus area of the TCMH Healthcare Foundation,” Jay Gentry, Healthcare Foundation director, said.  He added, “Our board of directors believes in the importance of education for area students that are pursuing training in healthcare-related fields.”

With the recent scholarship awards, the Foundation has awarded $83,500 in scholarships to area students since the program began in 2007.  The Healthcare Foundation awards educational scholarships for students pursuing additional higher education each spring and fall.  This fall, the Healthcare Foundation will award endowed scholarship funds in addition to the Healthcare Foundation scholarships. The Foundation will accept applications for the fall scholarships beginning in April.

“The Foundation board of directors recognizes the growing need for healthcare providers in rural America,” Gentry stated.  “It is the hope of the Foundation that these scholarships will assist in attracting and retaining qualified residents to work in the local healthcare fields.”

Complete scholarship information and the scholarship application is available online at www.tcmhfoundation.org.

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For additional information, contact:

Rachel Davis, MHA

Director of Public Relations/Marketing

Texas County Memorial Hospital

Phone:  417/967-1258

Fax:  417/967-3764

rachel.davis@tcmh.org

Houston, MO—The Houston Walmart Supercenter came away as the big winner for the second year in a row at the Eleventh Annual Texas County Memorial Hospital Healthcare Foundation Chili Cook Off.  Held in Houston on November 4^th, “Walmart Super Chili”, the superhero-themed team from Walmart, raised $7,405 to benefit TCMH Hospice of Care.

The Houston Walmart Supercenter team was one of 14 different teams that cooked chili and competed for prizes in six different categories.  This year’s team fundraising effort totaled $24,335.  The remainder of funds was raised through sponsorships, admission, and auctions at the event.

All of the funds raised at the Foundation event benefit TCMH Hospice of Care which provides end of life and grief support care for patients and their families in Texas County and the surrounding area.

This year’s Chili Cook Off was dedicated to the memory of the late Dr. I.C. Keeney, longtime veterinarian in Texas County.

For the past 11 years Keeney and his wife, Margaret, and their friends, John and Jeannie Beltz of Willow Springs, donated a beef purchased at the county fair to raise funds for the Chili Cook Off and Hospice of Care.  Prior to the inception of the cook off, the Keeney and Beltz families purchased a beef that was donated to Hospice of Care to raise funds for the organization.

The Keeney and Beltz families were in attendance at the event.

David Keeney and Diane Pierce, children of IC and Margaret Keeney, accepted a plaque honoring Dr. Keeney.  David Keeney spoke about the family’s experience with Hospice of Care.

“Hospice has a very special place in my whole family’s heart,” Keeney told the crowd.  Approximately 300 were in attendance throughout the day.

Keeney explained that his grandparents received hospice care when they passed away many years earlier.  At the time Keeney didn’t realize how hospice services functioned until he and his family experienced Hospice of Care in the last three days of Dr. I.C. Keeney’s life.

Keeney described leaving a hospital in Springfield with his father and returning to his parent’s home where Hospice of Care had made arrangements for a hospital bed to be placed in the sunroom of the home, the place where Dr. I.C. Keeney enjoyed spending at least half his time looking out over the farm, watching wildlife and his herd of cattle.

“Hospice facilitated getting that bed and placing it in my dad’s favorite place in their home, and in those last three days, the family gathered there with him,” Keeney said.  He explained that even the cattle came up in the field “coming to see him”.

Keeney explained that the efforts of Hospice of Care helped create a family bonding experience that was not expected but “so special”.

“It’s comforting to know that hospice is available to my family when the time comes,” Keeney said.  “My dad was right, for charitable causes, hospice is right up there at the top.”

Keeney’s comments kicked off the live auction portion of the event with Raymond Quick, auctioneer.  Numerous businesses and individuals donated items to be auctioned, including a steer purchased by the Keeney and Beltz families at the Texas County Fair.

The cook off also featured booths from each five-member cook off team.  The teams adopted a theme, a team name, and set about raising funds for their team earlier in the year through “casual days” at work, yard sales, raffles, bake sales, and other means.

The Houston Walmart Supercenter had 62 associates that volunteered to walk over 5 hours each in their free time, earning the team a $5,000 donation from the Walmart Corporation which they used to benefit Hospice of Care and to boost their team fundraising efforts.

“This event would not be possible without the incredible effort of the chili cook off teams,” Jay Gentry, TCMH Healthcare Foundation director, said.

Also receiving top prizes for fundraising efforts were “Tea Time with Team Jayson”, a Cabool-based team in memory of Jayson Gentry, which raised $4,488 to receive second place in the team fundraising category.

“Happy Feet Chili” from Raymondville United Methodist Church raised $2,733 for third place in team fundraising.

The Faretheewells, an Ellington, MO-based Americana band, played throughout the day.  Twenty-five different chili recipes were available for those in attendance to sample and to enjoy all day long, too.

Chili styles ranged from spicy red or white.  Some chili recipes were made with beans and some without beans. There was chili made with shrimp, and chili made with corn.

Three chili judges representing sponsors and supporters of the event were Sandy Howard from Progressive Ozark Bank in Houston; Dr. Matt Brown from Mercy Clinic in Houston, and Diane Pierce from Online Metal Supply in Houston.  Prizes were given to the chili teams who were competing in several different categories.

“Judges Choice” and first place went to “The Buckshots”, the TCMH med surg department which made a white chili.  The judges awarded second place to “Walmart Super Chili”, by Houston Walmart Supercenter, for their traditional red chili.  Third place went to “Hot Off the Farm”, by Justin Shelby’s State Farm Insurance office in Houston, for a slightly sweet beef and bean chili.

Seven teams made an additional chili style to enter into the “spicy” category. “Hot Off the Farm” also won the “Spiciest Chili” award, entering for a traditional red, spicy chili.

The cook off teams set up booths according to their team theme on Friday and Saturday morning of the event.  All teams had a team name and a theme, and the judges awarded prizes to the best decorated booths and booth themes.

Houston R-1 School “Chili Chili Bang Bang” had a Latin American fiesta theme with sombreros on their table.  “The A-Team” from Air Evac wore costumes representing different countries from around the world.  “Gold Nugget Chili” was a wild West-themed booth by the Houston FLBA.

First place in the booth decorating category was “The Walking Wed Zombie Brides”, a gothic-style booth with skeletons and detritus of death.  The OB department nurses dressed zombie brides, and Dr. Christopher Baldwin of TCMH dressed a zombie groom.

The TCMH med surg department nursing staff dressed in hunting attire as “The Buckshots”.  The team created a hunting “lodge” from a pop up tent, complete with a glowing wood stove, and won second place for best team booth.

“Hot Off the Farm” won third place for booth decorations with fiery motorcycle décor.

The Faretheewells, an Americana band from Ellington, MO provided live music as part of the event.

Everyone in attendance was given a ballot to exercise their own vote for the “People’s Choice” in chili or chili cook off teams. “Tea Time with Team Jayson” won first for people’s choice.  “The Buckshots” won second place in the people’s choice category. “Hot Off the Farm” came in third for people’s choice.

TCMH employees in attendance were given the opportunity to vote for the “TCMH Choice” among TCMH teams participating in the event.  “Marvels”, the TCMH emergency department team, won among TCMH employee voters, an honor the team has enjoyed in the past.

Gentry noted that teams helped sell raffle tickets for a shotgun and a Kawasaki-brand utility vehicle that were raffled at the end of the event.

Kay Brugman of Edgar Springs won the UTV.  Candy Cooper of Mountain Grove won the gun.

After Saturday’s event, the cook off raised $44,754 in cash donations and $14,412 in in-kind donations.  All the proceeds raised by the Chili Cook Off support Hospice of Care and remain in Texas County to benefit area residents.

Donations came in the form of sponsorships by area businesses for chili teams, corporate and entertainment sponsorships, cash donations, and donations of items for the auctions.

The Healthcare Foundation has a designated “Hospice Fund” where the cook off funds and other donations to Hospice of Care are held.

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Photos

Bob Roache prepares to sample “Happy Feet Chili” made Dutch oven-style for the Raymondville United Methodist Church team. 

“Hot Off the Farm”, the team from Justin Shelby’s State Farm Insurance agency, took home awards in four categories—Spiciest Chili, 2^nd place for Judges’ Choice chili, 3^rd place for Booth Decoration and also for People’s Choice chili. Left to right are: Alicia Wilson; Telisha Linscott; Airika Barnett, and Tammy Wade.

David Keeney and Diane Pierce accepted a plaque honoring the Keeney family at the Cook Off which was dedicated to the memory of their father, the late Dr. I.C. Keeney.  Presenting the award were Courtney Owens, TCMH Hospice of Care and Jay Gentry, TCMH Healthcare Foundation.

The Houston R-1 School team booth provided a chili photo op for Hospice of Care staff Courtney Owens and Sara McDaniel of TCMH Hospice of Care.

Walmart Super Chili took home top honors for Team Fundraising for the second year in a row, raising $7,405 this year.  The team’s chili also won 2^nd place in Judge’s Choice for chili. Left to right from the Houston Walmart are: Amanda Weybright; Samantha Mings; Cassie Carter; Alicia Dixon, and Kevin Carter.

A display of “Blue Ribbon Chili” made with pulled pork, ready for sampling.

“The Walking Wed Zombie Brides” from the TCMH Obstetrics department took home the top Booth Decorating prize again.  Left to right are Angel Watkins, Rebecca Steelman, Jennifer Terrill, Yvonne Cope, Maylia Crewse, Dr. Chris Baldwin and Angela Watkins.

With one lucky ticket, Kim Brugman of Edgar Springs won the Kawasaki Mule.  Left to right are Wes Murray, TCMH CEO; Mark Brugman; Kim Brugman; Courtney Owens, TCMH Hospice of Care, and Jay Gentry, TCMH Healthcare Foundation.

For additional information, contact:

Joleen Senter Durham, Director of Public Relations/Marketing

Texas County Memorial Hospital

Phone:  417/967-1258

Fax:  417/967-1291

joleen@tcmh.org

Houston, MO–The Texas County Memorial Hospital Healthcare Foundation plans to award $2,000 in educational scholarships for the spring 2018 academic year.  The organization is currently accepting applications for the scholarships.

The TCMH Healthcare Foundation Educational Scholarship Program is designed to assist area students that are pursuing or planning to pursue education in a healthcare related field or students currently working in healthcare that are pursuing additional education for their current career.

The Healthcare Foundation is in its tenth year of awarding scholarships in the fall and the spring, and the Foundation’s board of directors has awarded scholarships totaling $81,750 in that time.  Students from towns across the TCMH service area have received the scholarships.

“Educational scholarships are a major focus area of the Healthcare Foundation,” Jay Gentry, TCMH Healthcare Foundation director, stated.  “The board of directors of the Foundation recognizes the need to assist areas students in their educational endeavors with hopes that the student will return to or stay in the Texas County area to provide healthcare services to area residents after receiving additional education.”

Endowed scholarships provide some of the educational funds, and the Healthcare Foundation hosts an annual golf tournament to raise money for the scholarship program, and plans are underway to host a tournament again in 2018.

Eligible students for the scholarships must be accepted to or currently enrolled in an accredited university, college or post-secondary training program.  Residents of the TCMH service area—all of Texas County and Mountain Grove—and students that are graduates of Texas County and Mountain Grove schools are eligible to apply.  Applicants already pursuing a career in a healthcare organization, or applicants planning to pursue a career in a health field with direct patient care are eligible to apply for the scholarships.

The scholarship application asks for information about the student and requires a short essay about the student’s career and educational goals.  Applicants are also asked to list community involvement activities on their application, and they may be asked to meet with Foundation board members for a short personal interview.

The deadline for the spring scholarship application is January 15, 2018.  Awards for the scholarship will be announced by February 1, 2018.

For more information about the scholarship program or to receive an application, contact Gentry by phone at (417) 967-1377 or 1-866-967-3311, ext. 377 or by e-mail at jgentry@tcmh.org.  The scholarship application and complete details are also available at www.tcmhfoundation.org.

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For additional information, contact:

Joleen Senter Durham, Director of Public Relations/Marketing

Texas County Memorial Hospital

Phone:  417/967-1258

Fax:  417/967-1291

joleen@tcmh.org

Houston, MO–The Texas County Memorial Hospital Healthcare Foundation begins its ninth year of “Celebrate Our Memories” in partnership with TCMH Hospice of Care this week.

Beginning Fri., Nov. 24th a nine-foot Christmas tree in the front lobby of the hospital will hold Christmas ornaments that can be “gifted” and inscribed with the name or a message in honor or in memory of someone special in their life.

The Foundation will divide all funds generated by the program with another TCMH entity—Hospice of Care–so the Christmas program actually benefits two local charitable organizations.

As part of Celebrate Our Memories, those who have “gifted” an ornament will be invited to keep the ornament as a personal keepsake of their memory at the end of the holiday season, after the tree is removed from the hospital’s front lobby.

The ornaments are hung on the tree as they are gifted.   Sponsorship of one ornament is $25, and anyone can gift as many ornaments as they wish.  Ornaments can be gifted by groups or by individuals.  Gifted ornaments can honor a group, an individual such as a teacher, a parent, a friend, or other loved one.

Anyone who gifts an ornament can provide a name or message that will be inscribed on the ornament tag for them.

“It’s the goal of the Foundation and Hospice of Care to have at least 100 ornaments gifted in recognition of someone this holiday season,” Gentry said.

Hospice of Care uses the funding they receive from the program to provide hospice care, supplies and equipment for patients and their families in Texas county and surrounding areas.  The Healthcare Foundation uses their portion of the funds in meeting a mission of ensuring the quality of healthcare services for children, women and men at the county hospital.

“I am already soliciting and receiving sponsorships for the Celebrate Our Memories program,” he said.  “We hope to have several ornaments on the tree as soon as it goes up.”

Those who wish to gift an ornament should contact Courtney Owens, director of TCMH Hospice of Care at (417) 967-1279 for a form to fill out.  Forms are also available at the TCMH Auxiliary Gift Shop located at the front entrance to the hospital and on the Healthcare Foundation’s website, www.tcmhfoundation.org.

A letter of recognition will be sent to those who gift an ornament, and ornaments will be available for pick up at the hospital after the holiday season.

All proceeds from the program will remain in the area and directly impact the local community.  Any donation made to the TCMH Healthcare Foundation or to Hospice of Care is tax deductible.

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For additional information, contact:

Joleen Senter Durham, Director of Public Relations/Marketing

Texas County Memorial Hospital

Phone:  417/967-1258

Fax:  417/967-1291

joleen@tcmh.org