Holiday Giving Program Begins At Hospital

Posted on November 14, 2014November 19, 2014 by admin

The Texas County Memorial Hospital Healthcare Foundation will begin its sixth year of “Celebrate Our Memories” in partnership with TCMH Hospice of Care this week.

Beginning Fri., Nov. 21st 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 $20, 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.

Annual Cook-Off Raises $44,250 for Hospice of Care

Posted on November 14, 2014November 19, 2014 by admin

The Eighth Annual Texas County Memorial Hospital Healthcare Foundation Chili Cook Off in Houston on November 8, raised $44,250 for TCMH Hospice of Care. About 300 people visited the Texas County Fairgrounds and the Community Building trying out 24 kinds of chili.

Chris Weaver, a member of the TCMH EMS “Road Kill Warriors” team, ladles up a chili sample.

The Healthcare Foundation sponsors the annual Chili Cook Off to benefit the TCMH Hospice of Care. Sixteen chili-cooking teams—outfitted with a team theme that ranged from football tailgating to Japanese garden to Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles–served up their best meat and bean, red or white, hot or mild chili recipes.

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. Chili teams also raised money prior to the event and at the event. A live auction, silent auctions, raffles and a cakewalk also provided entertainment during the day.

Jay Gentry, director of the Healthcare Foundation, and Courtney Owens, director of TCMH Hospice of Care, organized the Chili Cook Off.

“Once again we received tremendous support from area businesses and individuals in donating to this important community cause,” Gentry said.

Attendees poured in to the Fairgrounds to taste chili and take part in the festitivies.

24 different types of chili at the 8th cook off

Dr. Christopher Baldwin, Tracey Arwood, Dr. Diana Koenig and their clinic staff had old-fashioned Coca-Cola in bottles and Crackerjacks to sell as part of their St. Louis Cardinals themed booth. Houston High School Future Business Leaders of America had a “Technolochili” booth complete with an interactive display and special chili flavorings invented by the FBLA group.

Fritos, cheese, onions, sour cream and milk were served up as accompaniments to the chili, and a few competitors served up “mild” and “hot” pots of chili.

Homemade cakes and cookies were given away at the Hospice of Care cakewalk booth. For a dollar, the cakewalks were enjoyed by young and old alike. The Hospice of Care staff also held silent auctions for homemade cakes and other treats.

Houston FBLA Technolochili featured special sauces for the chili samples that were developed by the Houston High School club.

Silent auctions featuring baskets of seasonal decorations, pet supplies and beauty products; artwork by local artists and tickets and gift certificates to various places in the area. The silent auction items were donated to Hospice of Care for the event.

The individual teams held raffles and silent auctions for their teams, too.

A chili dog eating contest featured chili cook off team members, local business owners and a few hospital physicians. Chris Weaver of Houston and the Roadkill Warriors cook off team won the contest.

“Miso Spicy” a chili cooking team from Community Bank N.A. won 1st place for the 3rd year in a row with their booth decorations and theme.

Shannon Smith of Licking won the pop up camper, the large raffle item that all teams sold tickets for.

Chili booths were decorated in many different ways. The Houston School Administration “Chili Builders” theme featured blocks salvaged from the old cafeteria and principals outfitted in hard hats and neon vests . The Houston Walmart Supercenter crafted a “rocket” for their “Chili That’s Out of This World” theme. The “Landmark Tailgaters” from Landmark Bank in Houston had a football theme that featured a goal post and playing field.

The Healthcare Foundation held two raffles as a way to raise money prior to and during the event. Eric Wells of Houston won the rifle. Shannon Smith of Licking won the pop up camper.

Three chili judges representing sponsors and supporters of the event were Earleen Holder from Progressive Ozark Bank in Houston, Jay Loveland from Wehr Motors of Mountain Grove, and Justin Shelby of State Farm Insurance in Houston. Prizes were given to the chili teams who were competing in several different categories.

“Judge’s Choice” and first place went to “Landmark Tailgaters” for their mild, white chili.

The cook off judges awarded second place to “Power Chili” Intercounty Electric Cooperative also for their mild chili. The third place “Judge’s Choice” went to “Old Country Doc” sponsored Mercy Clinic of Houston.

“Chili with the Most Kick” prize also went to “Big Country 99ers Brewhahahahaha” which entered a “hot” and a “mild” chili in the contest.

Landmark Bank “Tailgaters” won the Judges’ Choice top prize for their mild chili–a white chili.

First place in the “Best Booth” decorating category for the third year in a row went to Community Bank N.A. for “Miso Spicy”–a booth and costumes with a Japanese garden theme. Decked out in pink camouflage, the TCMH
Medical Surgical department won second place with their “Pink Ladies” booth. The “TCMH Speculators”—Baldwin, Arwood, Koenig and their staff–won third place for their baseball concessions theme.

Everyone in attendance was given a ballot to vote for the “People’s Choice” in chili. The “FBLA Technolochili ” won first place in the people’s choice category followed by “Road Kill Warriors—TCMH EMS” in second place and “TCMH Speculators” in third place.

TCMH employees in attendance were given the opportunity to vote for the “TCMH Choice” and the TCMH EMS “Road Kill Warriors” also won the hospital employee award—their fifth time to claim the prize in eight years of competing.

The Chili Cook Off Teams contributed a large amount to the funds raised for Hospice of Care, contributing a total of $16,574. Chili-cooking teams raised money for their teams prior to and during the cook off. Eight teams raised over $1,000 apiece.

TCMH EMS “Road Kill Warriors” won first in “Team Fundraising” by raising $2,735. Second place for team fundraising went to “Chili That’s Out of This World” for raising $2,026. Third place went to “TMNT—TCMH Home Health of the Ozarks” for raising $1,635.

Chris Weaver, a member of the TCMH EMS “Road Kill Warriors” team, ladles up a chili sample.

Prior to the live auction portion of the event, Dr. Gretchen Price, medical director for TCMH Hospice of Care, spoke to those in attendance.

“Hospice of Care is does everything they can to make sure that the patient and their family are comfortable until the end,” Price said.

Price recounted a personal experience with a patient that was hospitalized while in hospice care.

“The Hospice of Care staff helped the family of the patient bring in and show videos from 1988—a happy year in the patient’s life,” Price said, noting that all of the hospice care is “specialized” for each patient’s needs.

“Thank you for what you are doing here today to help the great work of Hospice of Care,” Price said.

“Your donations really make a difference, and we greatly appreciate the hard work done by all of the teams to help put on this event,” Price said.

Brandon Beck, master of ceremonies

Brandon Beck, master of ceremonies and meteorologist at KY3 television station in Springfield, also applauded the “wonderful cause” and explained that his 84-year old grandmother died under hospice care earlier in the year.

The live auction featured numerous handcrafted items, including this Noah’s Ark carved by the Lake Ozark Woodcarver’s Association.

“I had never experienced hospice before,” Beck said, noting that the hospice caregivers worked with he and his family members in understanding what to expect in the process.

“We all knew death was coming, but it was so helpful to have hospice care there,” Beck said.

Families that were in Hospice of Care service in 2014 and previous years were present at the Cook Off. Some families also made donations to the Healthcare Foundation to benefit Hospice of Care at the Chili Cook Off.

Harold Mitchell made a cedar blanket chest and donated it in memory of his mother, Caroline Mitchell, a patient of Hospice of Care. Carolyn Mason pieced and quilted a quilt in honor of Cecil Biram. Deborah Kell donated a framed and numbered waterfowl print in honor of her late husband, Jim Kell.

“We could not do what we do without the community support and partnerships that we have,” Gentry said to those in attendance.

Owens also thanked attendees for their support of Hospice of Care.

“The Hospice staff and I are incredibly impressed and thankful for the community support that has been shown to us,” Owens said.

Owens commended the teams that put in a long day making and serving chili as well as the time they put in creating teams with themes, decorating booths and raising money prior to and at the event.

The TCMH Hospice of Care Team

After Saturday’s event, the cook off raised $31,299 in cash donations and $12,951 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.

The Healthcare Foundation has a special “Hospice Fund” where the Cook Off funds and other donations to Hospice of Care are held.

Plans are already underway to hold the Ninth Annual TCMH Healthcare Foundation Chili Cook Off on Sat., Nov. 7, 2015. More details about the event will be available from the TCMH Healthcare Foundation.

TCMH Healthcare Foundation To Award $2000 In Scholarships

Posted on November 7, 2014November 19, 2014 by admin

The Texas County Memorial Hospital Healthcare Foundation plans to award $2,000 in educational scholarships for the spring 2015 academic year. The organization is currently accepting applications for the scholarships.

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 eighth (started in 2007) year of awarding scholarships in the fall and the spring, and the Foundation’s board has awarded scholarships totaling $56,000 in that time. Students from towns across the county 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. The annual golf tournament is scheduled for June 13, 2015.

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, 2015. Awards for the scholarship will be announced by February 1, 2015.

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.

TCMH Healthcare Foundation Awards Fall Scholarships

Posted on August 9, 2014August 11, 2014 by admin

Fall 2014 Scholarship Recipients (pictured from left to right; Wes Murray, CEO; John Sawyer; Kalli Pruett; Cameron Kuhn; Emily Smith; Andrea Turner; Shelby Brown; Haley Kelley; Josh Kane; and Jay Gentry, Foundation Director)

The Texas County Memorial Hospital Healthcare Foundation has awarded $8,000 in scholarships to area students to assist with their educational costs for the 2014 fall school semester.

Receiving $1,000 scholarships from the TCMH Healthcare Foundation were Joshua Kane and Kalli Pruett of Houston; Cameron Kuhn of Salem and Emily Smith of Licking.

Kane is in the paramedic training program at South Howell County Ambulance District in West Plains, MO. Kane is employed as an emergency medical technician in the emergency medical services department at TCMH.

Pruett is in the licensed practical nursing program at Texas County Technical College in Houston. She is also an aide for TCMH Home Health of the Ozarks.

Kuhn graduated from Salem High School in May 2014. She is attending Ozarks Technical Community College in Springfield where she plans to pursue training as a physical therapy assistant.

Smith graduated from Licking High School in May 2014. She is attending College of the Ozarks in Point Lookout, MO where she plans to pursue a Bachelor’s degree in nursing.

The endowed Dr. Joe L. and Judith T. Spears Memorial Scholarship Fund awarded three $1,000 scholarships area residents, two of whom are from Cabool–Shelby Brown and Haley Kelly. John Sawyer of Houston also received a Spears Memorial Scholarship.

Brown is pursuing a Bachelor’s degree in nursing through Drury University/Cox College of Nursing in Cabool. Brown works as a certified nurse assistant in the obstetrics and home health departments at TCMH.

Kelly is a student in the radiologic technologist program at Rolla Technical Center. She works as a student technologist in the TCMH radiology department.

Sawyer is attending Cox College of Nursing in Springfield where he is pursuing a Bachelor’s degree in nursing. Sawyer is a registered nurse and night supervisor at TCMH.

Andrea Turner of Success received the $1,000 Dr. Eugene Charles Honeywell Memorial Scholarship, chosen by the Healthcare Foundation directors and Carol Honeywell, the widow of Dr. Eugene Honeywell.

Turner is pursuing an accelerated licensed practical nurse to registered nurse degree at Texas County Technical College. She works as a nurse at TCMH Hospice of Care.

“Educational scholarships are one of the focus areas of the TCMH Healthcare Foundation,” Jay Gentry, Healthcare Foundation director, said. The Healthcare Foundation holds an annual golf tournament to raise funds for educational scholarships for area students. The Healthcare Foundation also received $2,500 in matching funds from Healthcare Services Group Foundation (HSGCF) that was added to the funds awarded by the Foundation for the fall 2014. The HSGCF program provides matching financial assistance to students awarded financial assistance by hospitals that are members of the Healthcare Services Association and insured by the Missouri Hospital Plan. Specifically, HSGCF matches scholarships or healthcare related tuition reimbursement provided by non-profit member hospitals throughout Missouri. This scholarship program is designed to facilitate, attract, and retain healthcare providers in Missouri. “The matching funds from HSGCF enabled us to boost the amount of our fall scholarship,” Gentry said. “Every dollar helps these area students with their educational costs, and we’re grateful for the additional funds to award.”

The Healthcare Foundation awards educational scholarships for students pursuing additional higher education each spring and fall. With the recent scholarship awards, the Foundation has awarded $56,000 in scholarships to area students since the program began in 2007. “The Healthcare Foundation administers the scholarships for the endowed funds, and the scholarships also go to employees working in healthcare-related fields in Texas County and surrounding areas,” Gentry said. Members of both families provided input to the Healthcare Foundation in choosing the scholarship recipients.

Gentry explained that 25 area students applied for the Healthcare Foundation scholarship for fall 2014. “We had a lot of great applicants, and we hope that those that did not receive a scholarship this time will apply for a scholarship in the future,” Gentry said. According to Gentry, the Healthcare Foundation intends to award two more $1,000 scholarships prior to the spring school semester in 2015. Applications for the scholarships are available through the Foundation or on the TCMH website.

“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.”

Camper Raffle To Benefit Hospice Of Care

Posted on July 18, 2014July 21, 2014 by admin

Jayco Series Sport 10 pop up camper donated from Wehr Motors’

The Texas County Memorial Hospital Healthcare Foundation recently received a Jayco Series Sport 10 pop up camper to raffle for the Hospice of Care fund which benefits area Hospice of Care patients. The camper will be awarded to a winner on November 8^th at 3 p.m. at the TCMH Healthcare Foundation’s annual Chili Cook Off which also benefits Hospice of Care.

“We always have a large item with raffle tickets for our chili cook off teams to use to raise funds for their team, and this year we partnered with Wehr Motors in Mountain Grove for the camper,” Jay Gentry, Healthcare Foundation director, said.

The pop up camper has a $7,500 value, and Wehr Motors’ donation covered much of the camper’s cost. Tickets are raffled for $10 each or $50 for six tickets. The camper pops up to feature a queen bed on one end and a full bed on the other end. Between the beds and the cargo deck the camper will sleep five to six. The sectionalized tents on the camper have a five-year warranty against mildew, cracks, mold and scratches. The cargo deck has a kitchen with a propane top that can be used inside or carried outside. The kitchen has a dinette area and a refrigerator. An awning can be pulled out and anchored on one side of the camper. The camper can hold 10 gallons of potable water. The camper comes with a lifetime warranty that covers the lifter system, the bed platforms, the roof, the frame and the floor.

“We thought the camper would be something different and also very family friendly to raffle this year,” Courtney Owens, Hospice of Care director, explained. “A camper can be put to use at the river or at the lake, or it’s great for hunting, too.” Owens explained that the camper is currently parked at TCMH if anyone wants to see it.

The TCMH Healthcare Foundation and Hospice of Care have a fundraising goal of $55,000 for the 2014 Chili Cook Off, and proceeds from the raffle ticket sales will go toward overall fundraising for the event. Funds from the Healthcare Foundation’s Hospice Fund and the annual Chili Cook Off are utilized to provide end of life care for patients and their families regardless of a patient’s ability to pay for the service. “Our hospice funds are used locally to benefit the patients we serve within a 40-mile radius of TCMH,” Owens said.

Raffle tickets for the camper are available through the Hospice of Care office located in the TCMH Office Annex and any of the 14 teams that are participating in this year’s cook off. Space is still available for two five-person cook off teams, according to Owens. For additional information about raffle tickets or a 2014 Chili Cook Off, contact Hospice of Care at (417) 967-1279 or 1-866-967-3311 ext. 1279.

TCMH Healthcare Foundation receives a $2,500 donation from the Grainger Foundation

Posted on July 1, 2014July 17, 2014 by admin

Jay Gentry, Healthcare Foundation Director; Tim Rissman, area market manager for Grainger; and Wes Murray, TCMH Chief Executive Officer

The Texas County Memorial Hospital Healthcare Foundation received a $2,500 donation from the Grainger Foundation, an independent private foundation located in Lake Forest, Illinois. The funds will help build the tornado safe room.

Presenting the check was Tim Rissman, area market manager for Grainger (center), with Jay Gentry, Healthcare Foundation director (left) and Wes Murray, TCMH Chief Executive Officer (right).

TCMH Healthcare Foundation Holds Annual Charitable Golf Tournament

Posted on June 20, 2014July 17, 2014 by admin

The Texas County Memorial Hospital Healthcare Foundation held the Ninth Annual Charitable Golf Tournament at Oakwood Golf Course in Houston on Sat., June 14. Forty teams participated in the 18-hole two-person scramble, and $16,490 was raised in cash and non-cash gifts for the Foundation by the tournament.

The tournament had tee times at 8 a.m. and 1 p.m. with prizes awarded to the top three teams in four categories—Championship Flight; A-Flight; B-Flight and C-Flight. With a hole-in-one on hole five at the course, golfers had the opportunity to win $10,000 sponsored by Justin Shelby, Houston State Farm Insurance agent.

Winners of the Championship Flight were Jordan Land and Doug Lansdown who shot a 54, followed by Darren Petrus and Scott Kelly with a 54 for second place (tiebreaker rules were enforced for teams shooting the same score) and John Coleman and Chris Keefer with a score of 55 in third place.

A-Flight winners were Jeff Butler and Robert Butler in first place with a 62, followed by Justin Shelby and Preston Wade in second with a 64, and third place winners, Dr. Steve Hawkins and Perry Hensick with a 65.

Winners of the B-Flight were Danny Lansdown and Delinda Lansdown with a 69. Finishing second were Chris Weaver and Sam Wilson also with a 69. Jake Floyd and Brandon Schmidt, with a 70, came in third.

C-Flight winners were Dee Moser and Andrew Walters with a 75. Aaron Allen and Kyle Miller shot a 76 for second place, and Mark Rhoades and Bo Jackson finished third with a 78.

First and second place winners in all flights received cash prizes and trophies. Third place winners in the Championship, A, and B flights received a cash prize, and the third place C flight received gift cards.

Chris Keifer won the longest putt contest. The longest drive winners were Delinda Lansdown and Dillon Crow.

A “Vegas Par 3” closest to the pin contest was hosted and sponsored by Missouri Sun Solar and Big Country 99. Winning the contest was Scott Crump.

“The Big Advantage” on the fourth hole allowed golfers to move up to within 150 yards of the putting green and was sponsored by Wehr Motors. The game could reduce golf scores and included a closest to the pin contest. John Coleman was the winner of “The Big Advantage”.

According to Jay Gentry, president of the TCMH Healthcare Foundation, the funds generated by the golf tournament will be used to fund scholarships for healthcare related educational fields and to provide resources for capital projects.

“We filled all of the available team slots in the morning and afternoon rounds, and we received numerous sponsorships from individuals and businesses,” Gentry said, adding that a few late entry teams had to be turned away from the tournament.

Gentry noted that a corporate sponsorship by the Missouri Foundation for Health along with support from many other businesses greatly aided the Foundation in putting on a nice tournament for the participants. Gentry also thanked the numerous volunteers and the staff at Oakwood for their time and efforts on behalf of the Foundation’s tournament.

“Some of our winners also donated their winnings back to the Foundation, something that we greatly appreciate,” Gentry said. “The Foundation is a local charity and all of the money we receive for the Foundation will remain in the county.”

The TCMH Healthcare Foundation is the non-profit organization with a mission to ensure the quality of healthcare services for children, women, and men at Texas County Memorial Hospital. Funding for the Foundation comes from grateful patients and their families, community members and groups, and businesses that value healthcare in our area. A board of community leaders from across the county directs the TCMH Healthcare Foundation and the funds held by the Foundation.

“Once again, this tournament has been very successful for the Healthcare Foundation,” Gentry said. The TCMH Healthcare Foundation plans to hold the golf tournament fundraiser again in 2015.

TCMH Healthcare Foundation to Award $5,500 in Scholarships – Fall 2014

Posted on April 4, 2014July 17, 2014 by admin

The Texas County Memorial Hospital Healthcare Foundation plans to award $5,500 in educational scholarships for the fall 2014 academic year. The organization is currently accepting applications for the scholarships.

The Healthcare Foundation is in its eighth 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.

The Healthcare Foundation has awarded over $40,000 in scholarship funds since the scholarship program began.

The deadline for the fall scholarship applications is July 1, 2014. Awards for the scholarship will be announced by September 1, 2014.

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 here.

TCMH Healthcare Foundation to Award $2,000 in Scholarships – Spring 2014

Posted on November 15, 2013July 17, 2014 by admin

The Texas County Memorial Hospital Healthcare Foundation plans to award $2,000 in educational scholarships for the spring 2014 academic year. The organization is currently accepting applications for the scholarships.

The Healthcare Foundation is in its seventh year of awarding scholarships in the fall and the spring.Students from towns across the county 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.The annual golf tournament is scheduled for June 14, 2014.

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, 2014.Awards for the scholarship will be announced by February 1, 2014.

$46,875 Raised at Annual Cook-Off for Hospice of Care

Posted on November 3, 2013July 21, 2014 by admin

The Seventh Annual TCMH Healthcare Foundation Chili Cook Off raised a total of $46,875 for the local TCMH Hospice of Care. The event was held on November 2 in Houston, and about 300 people visited the Texas County Fairgrounds and the Community Building trying out 22 different chili recipes last Saturday.

The Healthcare Foundation sponsors the annual Chili Cook Off to benefit the TCMH Hospice of Care. Fourteen chili-cooking teams—outfitted with a team themes that ranged from disco to Duck Dynasty–served up their best meat and bean, red or white, hot or mild chili recipes.

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. Chili teams also raised money prior to the event and at the event.In addition to musical entertainment, a live auction, many silent auctions and a cakewalk also provided entertainment.

Jay Gentry, director of the Healthcare Foundation, organized the Chili Cook Off. “Once again we received tremendous support from area businesses and individuals in donating to this important community cause,” he said.

Funds raised by the cook off were down from the previous record setting year which raised over $70,000 for the local charity.

“We are very pleased with the local support shown to Hospice of Care for this community event,” Gentry said, explaining that the Healthcare Foundation has been involved in many other fundraising efforts over the past year which many area businesses and individuals have also supported.

A festive atmosphere filled the fairgrounds on Saturday as attendees poured in to taste chili.

In addition to pots of “mild” and “hot” chili, crackers, Fritos, cheese, onions and sour cream were served up as accompaniments to the chili. Strings of beads, whistles, and candy were also handed out by the teams hoping to entice the those tasting the chili to vote for them.

“The Chili Cook Off is truly an event the whole family can enjoy,” Courtney Owens, director of TCMH Hospice of Care, explained.

Kids were treated to an inflatable bounce house and sweet treats being sold or given away at cook off booths. The Houston SOROSIS Club also provided face painting for the young and young at heart.

Homemade cakes were sweet treats given away at the Hospice of Care Pie and Cake booth which featured a cakewalk for a dollar. The Hospice of Care staff also held silent auctions for homemade pies and other treats.

Adults were drawn to silent auctions featuring baskets of seasonal decorations, pet supplies and beauty products; artwork by local artists and tickets and gift certificates to various places in the area. Teams held raffles or silent auctions for handmade items, gift baskets, Mizzou gear and a wooden duck decoy signed by Si Robertson.

A chili dog eating contest featured chili cook off team members, local business owners and a few kids. Steve Zweifel, an attendee at the cook off, won the contest.

Chili booths were decorated in many different ways. “Chili with Quackers” was Houston School’s theme with school administrators decked out in camouflage clothing and long beards and hair. The “Go Go Girls” from TCMH Home Health of the Ozarks, donned tie dye shirts and headbands, serving chili under a disco ball.Big Country 99’s “Brewhahahahaha” featured inmates cooking chili and serving it from behind bars.

The Healthcare Foundation raffled a rifle as a way to raise money prior to and during the event. Glen Buckner of Houston won the rifle.

A Bad Boy brand zero turn radius mower sponsored by S&H Farm Supply was also raffled by Hospice of Care and the chili cook off teams. Lorraine Loy of Licking was the winner of the mower.

Three chili judges representing sponsors and supporters of the event were Earleen Holder from Progressive Ozark Bank in Houston, Dr. Joshua Wolfe of the TCMH Family Clinic in Licking, and Jan Watson of Janstiques and VIP Properties in Houston. Prizes were given to the chili teams who were competing in several different categories.

“Judge’s Choice” and first place went to “Go Go Girls” sponsored by Dr. Lynn Hauenstein, and the cook off judges awarded second place to “Power Chili” from Intercounty Electric Cooperative. The third place “Judge’s Choice” went to “Pirates of the Chili Bean” sponsored Community Bank N.A.

“Chili with the Most Kick” prize went to Big Country 99ers Brewhahahahaha.

First place in the “Best Booth” decorating category went for the second year in a row to Community Bank N.A. for “Pirates of the Chili Bean”–a booth and costumes with pirate theme. The “Chili Commanders” booth by the TCMH emergency medical services team, won second place for decorations. Also with a “Duck Dynasty” theme, the Houston School administrators won third place with their “Chili with Quackers” booth.

Everyone in attendance was given a ballot to vote for the “People’s Choice” in chili. The “Chili Commanders” won first place in the people’s choice category followed by “Heavenly Chili” by Raymondville United Methodist Church in second place and “Packing Heat” from the Houston Police Department in third place.

TCMH employees in attendance were given the opportunity to vote for the “TCMH Choice Chili” and the TCMH medical surgical department “Pink Ladies” won the hospital employee award.

The Chili Cook Off Teams contributed a large amount to the funds raised for Hospice of Care, contributing a total of $15,177. Chili-cooking teams raised money for their teams prior to and during the cook off. Six teams raised over $1,000 apiece.

Houston Walmart Supercenter “Chili Bandits” won first in “Team Fundraising” by raising $2,826. Second place for team fundraising went to “Pirates of the Chili Bean” for raising $2,538.Third place went to the “Go Go Girls” for raising $1,722.

Prior to the live auction portion of the event, Dr. Gretchen Price, the Hospice of Care medical staff director, spoke about the local hospice service. “Your support of Hospice of Care makes the difference in the care we are able to provide to area patients,” Price said.

Price explained that hospice care extends far beyond medical care. “Our staff has been known to help patients with cattle they have on their farm or they will just sit with patient and watch a St. Louis Cardinal’s ballgame so the patient doesn’t have to be alone,” she said.

“Your donations make a big difference,” Price said, “And we are grateful.”

Families that were in Hospice of Care service in 2013 and previous years were present at the Cook Off. Some families also made donations to the Healthcare Foundation to benefit Hospice of Care at the Chili Cook Off.

Harold Mitchell made a pie safe and donated it in memory of his mother, Caroline Mitchell, a patient of Hospice of Care. Deborah Kell donated a framed duck print in memory of her late husband, Jim Kell.

“We could not do what we do without the community support and partnerships that we have,” Owens said to those in attendance.

Owens also introduced her staff to those present, and she thanked attendees for their support of Hospice of Care.

“The Hospice staff and I are incredibly impressed and thankful for the community support that has been shown to us,” Owens said.

Owens commended the teams that put in a long day making and serving chili as well as the time they put in creating teams with themes, decorating booths and raising money prior to and at the event.

After Saturday’s event, the cook off raised $34,022 in cash donations and $12,853 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.

The Healthcare Foundation has a special “Hospice Fund” where the Cook Off funds and other donations to Hospice of Care are held.

Plans are already underway to hold the Eighth Annual TCMH Healthcare Foundation Chili Cook Off on Sat., Nov. 1, 2014. More details about the event will be available from the TCMH Healthcare Foundation.