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by Cindy Abole
Public Relations
Tri-county children and families can hope to experience a joyful
holiday season thanks to community support programs like the MUSC Angel
Tree, which benefits the Salvation Army’s Angel Tree and Debi’s Kids
programs to assist needy families.
With the local economy challenging people, threats of unemployment and
families struggling to survive, more people are in desperate need this
holiday season.
 Ashley
River Tower’s (ART) Karen Bionest, Karen Goff, Dean Braddy and Darlene
Gaffney adjust angel tree tags on a Christmas tree located in ART’s
first-floor lobby. ART employees have committed to support needy
children and families in the community through the Salvation Army and
MUSC Angel Tree program.
For six years, MUSC has
participated in this holiday assistance community program working with
the Salvation Army to help fulfill the wishes of thousands of families
and individuals. The effort was led by MUSC Transplant Center staff and
has been continually successful.
According to the Salvation Army, more than 2,290 families registered to
receive holiday assistance for Thanksgiving and Christmas in late
October. This translates to 7,830 Lowcountry individuals seeking help
this year and 4,366 children who’ve registered in the annual Angel Tree
program.
“This is a tremendous ‘win’ for the MUSC community,” said Liz Nista,
MUSC Angel Tree board member and Bone and Marrow Transplant data
coordinator. “In the face of the worst economic climate since the
program began, our employees are showing what our patients already
know, that MUSC is an incredibly compassionate and caring facility.
I’ve already received phone calls from employees asking when the angels
were arriving and how they could participate. For many, this is a
family project with angels being a teaching moment for parents and
children about being grateful and the act of giving.”
To help coordinate this year’s campaign, Nista, Transplant Service Line
administrator Kim Phillips and employees representing the university
and medical center formed an Angel Tree board to assist with
organization, outreach and planning. Board members divided into work
committees to set and accomplish goals.
“MUSC’s Angel Tree program has truly come a long way by expanding its
efforts throughout the MUSC system and off-site satellite offices
thanks to the leadership of Liz Nista, Marian Taylor and other
supporters. Now we have an opportunity to bring this project to the
next level by working with leaders on the Angel Tree board and the
support of many compassionate and giving employees,” said Phillips.
Each year, the six-week campaign rallies the help and goodwill of
hundreds of MUSC employees to collect and donate gifts to share with
the less fortunate in the Tri-county community. Employees can
participate by taking an angel gift tag (provided by the Salvation
Army) which provides the name, age, sex, and wish request of each
child. As of Nov. 16, more than 1,840 angel tree tags—the most ever
provided at this point of the campaign—were distributed to various
areas and departments throughout MUSC.
For some departments and work areas, participation in the annual Angel
Tree campaign is either new or a planned team effort that’s supported
year-round as some groups organize fund-raisers and creative programs
to raise money. What’s continuous is that each group’s efforts are done
in the communal spirit of giving.
This is the first year MUSC’s Department of Public Safety will formally
support the Angel Tree program. For years, employees sponsored their
annual Good Cheer Fund campaign to assist disadvantaged families and
individuals throughout the holidays. But with the troubling economy and
other challenges, planners chose to support this year’s Angel Tree
program helping families and children.
“It’s been a really tough year for so many people and families,” said
Debbie Underwood, Public Safety accreditation manager and member of the
Angel Tree board. “What’s incredible is that our employees won’t
hesitate to step up and go the extra mile and help others who are less
fortunate. Being involved in a giving program such as this demonstrates
how the hospital and university can work together to assist others in
one big supportive effort.”
Participants have until Dec. 11 to bring their angel tag, an unwrapped
toy or article of clothing to any of nine campuswide drop box
locations—University Hospital lobby, Hollings Cancer Center lobby,
Carolina Family Care locations, Center for Clinical Evaluation &
Teaching, James B. Edwards College of Dental Medicine, Ashley River
Tower lobby, Harborview Office Towers lobby, UMA Parkshore and
Northbridge offices and Engineering & Facilities area.
Employees may also hold their gifts and bring them to the annual MUSC
Angel Tree Toy Drop-off Event at 11:30 a.m., Dec. 11, at the MUSC
Horseshoe. Participants will enjoy the parade of toys, visit by Santa
and Mrs. Claus and WCSC-TV’s Debi Chard during this hour-long event.
Gifts also can be brought to any Walmart location in the Debi’s Kids
boxes until Dec. 14.
To arrange for a toy pick-up on Dec. 11 or for
more information, contact Nista, 792-8382 or nistal@musc.edu.
Visit http://www.lowcountryangels.com.
Friday, Nov. 20, 2009
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