Remember Mayfaire 2011?

The room was a colorful spray of tie-die, folks were dancing the night away with the Fab Four and we were all there to support a very worthy cause – Benefis Dialysis Services.

The net proceeds from the event totaled $168,000, plus $65,500 for Crit Line monitors, $3,000 for new chairs and $18,450 to support the Dialysis Services Endowment.

Well we have some very exciting news. Dialysis Services received its new chairs this week, and they already are in use! Each of the stations in the unit now has a brand new, heated chair that’s as comfy as your favorite home recliner and a new hospital-grade TV. Each station also has its own Crit Lines, to help monitor fluid removal, plus a few back-up machines.

The unit got new portable DVD players that can be shared around and a DVD library for patient use. There’s also a new TV in the waiting room plus two TVs with built-in DVD players for the training rooms (for out-patient services).

Last year’s Mayfaire donors have made a world of difference for our Dialysis patients, who spend three to five hours a day, three days a week, each and every week of the year undergoing treatment in the unit.

Thank you again to everyone who partnered with us through Mayfaire 2011. We are grateful for your continued support as we move ahead with our campaign to expand the Benefis Peace Hospice Residential Facility, our 2012 Mayfaire beneficiary.

“Why I’ve given 23 years”

Once upon a time, I asked my fellow co-workers to share why they come to work each day – what it is about working at Benefis Health System Foundation that fills them with satisfaction. A couple of them answered, and I posted what they had to say.

Then, another day, one of our longest-term staff members, Judy Doheny, sent me something she had prepared for our Board, and with it she wrote a note answering the exact question I had asked a few weeks earlier. I was waiting for the right day to post it, and I think today’s the day.

“One thing I think is so meaningful since the start of the Foundation was the establishment of the Angel Fund in 1997. I so remember the first ‘fundraising’ efforts to establish the fund – Cindy Kay living on top of Holiday Village for a week over Memorial Day weekend, the coins and checks we received, the money out of the cedar box (Tyson Smith’s), plastic bags of coins dropped off by children…

“And then, giving a check to young families that needed to travel with their newborn to another hospital for treatment. Wow! They thought they’d just won the lottery.

“Helping everyday people is so powerful and meaningful.”

Clearly working at the Foundaiton is more than just a job for Judy. She absolutely loves supporting our mission of improving and enhancing healthcare services for people in our area. And we are very fortunate to have her on our team.

I felt like today was the right day to post this because of her reference to Tyson Smith. Tyson was a young boy whose family was helped through the Angel Fund shortly after it began. He was suffering from cancer and, sadly, lost his battle with the disease when he was just 13. What is really special is that his parents found some money hidden away in his cedar box and decided to donate the money back to the Angel Fund. They knew he’d like helping other children in the same way he had been helped.

“From our angel to your Angel Network, please accept this donation,” his parents wrote.

Another very special aspect of this bittersweet story is that Tyson’s younger brother, Cory Smith, who is all grown up now, is carrying on this legacy of helping children suffering with terrible illnesses. Cory and his partner, Jared Jones, own the extreme sports promotion and clothing company 221 Industries. Shortly after they started their business, they worked with the Foundation to establish the 221 Children’s Fund and Endowment to help children up through age 18 with any healthcare need. Tyson, of course, was their inspiration.

Tonight is the 2nd annual 221 Children’s Fund Banquet to benefit the 221 Children’s Funds. The fundraiser will take place at the Best Western Heritage Inn and feature dinner, live music, stand-up comedy, appearances by professional extreme sports athletes, live and silent auctions and a raffle. Tickets cost $25 or $175 for a table of 8. For tickets, call 781-5536, 788-9109 or 781-0252.

So there’s some great fun to be had tonight and it’s for a truly great cause. Get your tickets now, if you haven’t already.

Thanks for the reminder, Judy.

“From one kiddo to another”

A young Benefis nurse came by the Foundation last week with a $160 donation to support the Angel Fund, which helps families who need to travel away from home in order to receive care for their very sick children. She said the gift was in honor of her daughter, Quincy, who recently celebrated her 2nd birthday.

As Quincy’s birthday was approaching, the woman and her husband decided to tell their family and friends that no gifts were necessary but that they could make a donation to the Angel Fund in Quincy’s honor, if they wanted to.

“I felt like we have everything we need,” she said.

The woman said her parents had raised her to be philanthropic, and they’d often do something charitable in lieu of birthday gifts. She is hoping that her children will want to do the same thing when they get a little older.

While it was an easy option for Quincy’s birthday this year, she admitted it would take quite a bit of convincing to get her 5-year-old son to agree to asking for donations instead of gifts.

“You have to wait until they’re a little older, like 8 or 9,” she laughed.

Happy birthday to you, Quincy! Thanks for the thoughtful gift to help other children in our region.

221 Children’s Fund Banquet Coming Up Jan. 20

Bronze Donated to the Sletten Cancer Institute

Having a true appreciation of Western artwork, Bob Sanderson wanted others to share his enjoyment of his beautiful and carefully detailed cowboy bronze.

The Great Falls man recently gave his valuable piece “Riding High” to the Sletten Cancer Institute through Benefis Health System Foundation.

“I just hope people enjoy it,” said Bob.

The original piece was sculpted by Earl E. Heikka, who was born in Belt in 1910. Earl, along with fellow sculptor Curt S. Dennis, was a student of Charlie Russell and created more than 200 fine works before his untimely death in 1941, according to the book “E. E. Heikka, Sculptor of the American West,” by Vivian Paladin.

Bob came to be the proud owner of the bronze after doing some paint jobs for a local contractor many years ago. Instead of payment, the contractor gave him the bronze, of which he owned the original.

“He said, ‘If you don’t want it, I’ll buy it back from you,’” said Bob.

Bob was pleased to add “Riding High,” valued at $3,500, to his personal collection and intended one day to pass it along to his son, Mike. But, sadly, Mike passed away in 2011.

That’s when Bob decided to give it to the SCI. A cancer survivor himself, he also has many friends who’ve been treated at the center and he’s longtime friends with the Sletten family.

We can’t thank Bob enough for his wonderful gift for all who visit the Sletten Cancer Institute. Be sure to come by the SCI and see it the next time you have a chance.

“The Wise Woman’s Stone”

The final week of 2011 charitable giving through Benefis Health System Foundation is busy and lots of fun. People are so incredibly generous!

On the subject of giving, I wanted to share a neat story that I happened upon:

The Wise Woman’s Stone

A wise woman who was traveling in the mountains found a precious stone in a stream. The next day she met another traveler who was hungry, and the wise woman opened her bag to share her food. The hungry traveler saw the precious stone and asked the woman to give it to him. She did so without hesitation. The traveler left, rejoicing in his good fortune. He knew the stone was worth enough to give him security for a lifetime. But a few days later he came back to return the stone to the wise woman.

“I’ve been thinking,” he said, “I know how valuable the stone is, but I give it back in the hope that you can give me something even more precious. Give me what you have within you that enabled you to give me the stone.” 

 Author Unknown

I just think it’s a sweet story. I, too, want some of what that woman has within her; I’m sure we all do.

Anyway, happy year-end and happy New Year!

 

 

The Generosity of Benefis

At Benefis, we have the good fortune of working with some of the most giving people in the world.

Of course, all of these people are in the business of taking care of people, so giving is a part of their jobs. But when the holidays roll around, you see they also are very giving outside of their jobs.

Here’s a look at some of the ways the employees at various Benefis Health System departments have made the holidays a little brighter for other people in our community.

Cardiology collected items to donate to the Rescue Mission, YWCA and Meals on Wheels.

Education Services put together goodie baskets for three families battling cancer and donated nearly $250 to four worthy causes: Caring for Our Own, Volunteers, Pluck for a Buck and the Adopt-a-Family Fund.

Facilities (Maintenance & Clinical Engineering) provided Christmas gifts for six children from three families. They collected more than $500, which went to purchase clothing and toys; it was the unit’s most successful holiday fundraiser ever. Also, more than $100 worth of items were donated. The employees wrapped the gifts for volunteers to deliver to the families.

The Heart & Vascular Institute put clothes and toys under the Christmas tree for an adopted family and gathered clothes and blankets for Aging Services.

Peace Hospice employees provided a traditional Thanksgiving meal for hospice patients and their families.

Material Services checked off the Christmas lists of eight children, providing them with $350 worth of toys and clothes.

The Neonatal Intensive Care Unit adopted a homeless family and provided them with clothes, bus passes and $350 to put toward a down payment on an apartment.

OB, NICU & Pediatrics shared the warmth of the holiday season by collecting 31 hats, 39 pairs of gloves, 6 pairs of mittens and 2 scarves for the Children’s Receiving Home.

Outpatient Therapies and Acute Care Therapies donated cash and items to St. Martin de Porres mission to help families in need. Outpatient donated more than $200 in cash and provided gifts for a family of six. Acute Care donated a trunk and backseat full of toys and homemaking supplies to two single moms and their children plus $50 worth of gift cards for food.

At least 35 staff and family members from Spectrum PBS and Equipment Services sang Christmas carols and delivered cookie trays to residents at the Beehive, Cambridge Court and the Hospice Residential Facility.

Nice job, Benefis.