Planning for the 22nd annual Light-A-Light project is underway. Friends is proud to partner with BankPlus to present this year’s Light-A-Light for Children Project. Friends is getting ready for the holiday season when Batson Children’s Hospital will be decorated for patients and their families. On Tuesday, December 6th we will flip the switch to light two outdoor Christmas trees for everyone to enjoy. The BankPlus Light-A-Light Project is the oldest Friends fundraiser, started by founding members of the board. Each year, area supporters “Light-A-Light” on the Batson Christmas tree in honor or memory of someone. The honoree or their family receives a special card telling them of the gift. Volunteers work throughout the month of November and December filling in cards and mailing them. What a special gift to give teachers, friends, neighbors and that certain someone who is hard to shop for. With a minimum donation of $10, give a gift that gives twice and Light-A-Light on the Batson Hospital Christmas Tree. With a $250 donation, you can “Light-A-Light” on the Eternal Light tree in honor or memory of someone. The first year the Eternal Light honoree or their family will receive a beautiful card letting them know of your donation and a stained glass angel ornament created by Mississippi artist, Jerry Hymel. Each year following, the Eternal Light will be remembered during the tree-lighting and the honoree or their family will receive an additional acknowledgment card. Please join us in the Batson Children’s Hospital lobby on Tuesday, December 6th at 6:00 pm, for the annual tree-lighting ceremony. This year’s Children’s

Miracle Network Champion, Sydney Gholar, will flip the giant switch with help from WJTV’s Linda Allen. Ballet Mississippi will perform excerpts from The Nutcracker and light refreshments will be served. This special night kicks off the holiday season at Batson and area supporters are invited to attend. The large exterior tree is decorated with thousands of colored lights and the small Eternal Light tree is decorated with white lights. The large Christmas tree also has a colorful paper chain encircling the tree, the Chain of Hope. On each link is the name of a patient seen at Batson Children’s Hospital this year. Special thanks to David Spurk and The Junior League of Jackson for creating new holiday decorations for the lobbies of the Batson Children’s Hospital, the Children’s Cancer Clinic and the Wiser Hospital. You can purchase lights using the enclosed entry form or at www.foch.org using the PayPal form. Please contact Melanie Schade for more information at 601-984-5273 or mschade@umc.edu. Acknowledgment cards will be mailed through January 7th and you will receive a receipt for your donation. Thank you for making the holidays brighter for the patients at Batson Children’s Hospital through the BankPlus Light-A-Light Project.

nonprofitorganization

u.s. postagepaid

jackson, mspermit no. 510

BankPlus presents Light-A-Light for Children this Holiday Season!

Are you a Lifetime Member of Friends of Children’s Hospital? If not, it might be time to renew your membership. You can also make a donation or purchase the“Best Friends” sticker with this form. You can do so by returning this form with your information and check made out to “Friends of Children’s Hospital” to:

Friends of Children’s Hospital | Department of Pediatrics | 2500 North State Street | Jackson, MS 39216

Name(s)________________________________________________________________________________________________________________Address_________________________________City____________________________State______ Zip____________________Cell _______________________________Home ______________________________E-mail ______________________________

Please check one: New Membership Renewal Membership

Check type of membership: Individual ($20) Family ($50) Corporate ($50) Patron ($100) Lifetime ($250) Would you like to make an honorary or memorial donation? Please include the information below and we would be glad to send a special note to the honoree or their family.

Please check one: Honor Memory

Name of Honoree _________________________________________________________________________________________

Name of Card Recipient ____________________________________________________________________________________

Address _____________________________________________ City ________________ State ______ Zip _______________

Yes, I would like to be a “Best Friend” of Friends of Children’s Hospital. Please send me the Friends Window Decal. (Please include your $100 donation and include your mailing address above.)

If you have any questions, please call Friends at (601) 984-5273. You may also join Friends at www.foch.org

Friends of Children’s Hospital Membership Information

The University of Mississippi Medical CenterDepartment of Pediatrics2500 North State StreetJackson, MS 39216

In this Issue: • Friends CheckCards….Now Available at BankPlus! • Purchase your Light-A-Lights this holiday season • Friends wins $10,000 from Jackson Restaurant Week • 18th annual Trustmark Pro-Am sees record turnout • MiracleHome winner moving in

Check out our website at www.foch.org

Volume 8, Issue 14 • November, 2011

Friends of Children’s Hospital Board of Directors

Executive Committee

ChairmanSara Ray

Honorary ChairmanSuzan Thames

PresidentJackie Petrus

President-Elect Leigh Reeves

TreasurerRob Armour

Ex-OfficioDonna Windsor

BoardDr. Bob AbneyKristin AllenSidney AllenKaty CreathPat Decker

Cathy HavensRoxanne Hilsman

Alyson JonesBryan JonesBruce Leach

Gwen RakestrawJohn Scarbrough

Ellen SkrmettiBrenda Hayes-Williams

Jordan Willett

Ex-OfficioRuth Ann Allen

Amanda AllistonDr. Rick BarrBecky Bates

Dr. Blair E. BatsonAngela Compere

Dr. Owen B. EvansGuy GieseckeHunter Hatten

Jennifer HospodorMatthew Johnson

Susan Shands JonesMike Lightsey

Tena McKenzieDr. Mart McMullan

LaDonna NorthingtonKristie Nutt

John Clark PackerJudy Packer

Program AdministratorMelanie Schade

Newsletter ProductionMelanie SchadeDerrick Dyess

The Enchanted Evening Under the Stars Gala, Presented by BankPlus, and hosted by Susan and Chip Triplett was a huge success with more than $150,000 raised to help the children of Batson. Guests enjoyed the casual outdoor party featuring live music by The Plaintiffs as well as delicious food prepared by Chef Luis Bruno. The live auction featured many great works of art and the silent auction featured local painters as well as Viking merchandise. Lynn Wentworth prepared his signature Bellini’s using a recipe straight from Harry’s Bar in Venice. All 100 raffle

tickets for the $5,000 cash prize giveaway were sold and Dr. and Mrs. Lawrence Haber were

the lucky winners. “A huge thanks to our sponsors, host committee members, vendors and volunteers who made this party a huge success,” said Leigh Reeves, event chair. “We could not have a

party of this magnitude and raise these funds for Batson Children’s Hospital

without their continued support and we are deeply grateful. We had a fabulous party andare already planning for the next one.”

Enchanted Evening Under the Stars raises record amount

The 2011 Enchanted Evening Planning Committee worked hard to create the best event yet. Pictured back row from left: Kathy Henry,

Lynn Wentworth, Ellen Skrmetti, Melanie Schade, Donna Windsor, Jordan Willett, Erin Cogswell, David Spurk, Elizabeth Upchurch, Mary

Kirk King, Alisha Sartin, Lanier Clark and Allison Muirhead. Front Row: Cathy Havens, event co-chairman; Leigh Reeves, event chairman;

Jackie Petrus, Friends president.

Upcoming Events

Friends Wins $10,000 from Jackson Restaurant Week

Nick’s Trees Christmas Tree Sale Begins November 25

Jingle Bell Jog benefitting the children’s cancer clinic December 3

Batson Hospital Tree-Lighting Ceremony December 6

SouthGroup Make A Difference 5K February 18

Radiothon Feb. 29 - Mar. 2

Mal’s St. Paddy’s Day Parade March 17

Zippity Doo Dah Festival and Parade March 22-25

Winner of 7th MiracleHome Moving In! David Butler of Ridgeland almost did not pick up his phone. He was packing for a business trip and had plenty left to do, but something made him answer the phone. On the other end was Donna Windsor of Friends of Children’s Hospital, with the news - David had just won the 2011 Batson Hospital MiracleHome, Presented by Trustmark National Bank. “I was honestly in shock… I am just speechless,” said Butler when he walked into his new home on Saturday, August 20th. Sponsors and volunteers gathered around Butler and congratulated him as Windsor gave him a tour of his new home. Butler’s children joined him and picked out their new bedrooms. The MiracleHome Giveaway is an all-day celebration ending months of hard work for the MiracleHome planning committee. Months of securing sponsors and contributors, construction of the house, advertising and processing a mountain of entries all culminates in a small hand plucking one ticket from a giant raffle drum. This year’s winner, like all the others, just wanted to help the children’s hospital. A former

patient, he was at children’s hospital as a child and decided to help when he heard about the giveaway. He never dreamed his name would be announced. “We are very happy for David and glad he is moving in,” said Sidney Allen, MiracleHome Chairman. “This is a huge project and we could not have accomplished

it without our builder and all our sponsors. Thank you to them and to everyone who purchased a ticket.”MiracleHome Sponsors include: Trustmark National Bank, The Home Builder’s Association of Jackson, Reunion, CastleRock Properties, The Radio People, WJTV News Channel 12, Supertalk Radio, The Clarion Ledger Media Group,

Prudential Home Real Estate and Ross Furniture. “Through the years, the MiracleHome project has raised more than $1 million for Friends of Children’s Hospital,” said Allen. “This is a great fundraiser for our hospital.”

The votes have been counted and Friends was declared the charity winner of Jackson Restaurant Week. Jackson Restaurant Week, a campaign by Eat Jackson, was created to highlight local restaurants and their best dishes. Restaurant Week ran October 2 – 8, with 31 local restaurants participating in the inaugural event. Each selected a special menu highlighting their best cuisine. Patrons could dine for lunch or dinner for a special price and after dining received a ballot to vote for their favorite charity. Friends, along with CARA (Community Animal Rescue and Adoption), The Mississippi Memorial Firefighter’s Burn Association, The Alzheimer’s Association and Parents for Public Schools Request more Arts were the five charities chosen by a special panel as finalists. More than 3,500 votes were cast during Jackson Restaurant Week and Friends won the $10,000 prize. “We are so glad for Hotel and Restaurant Supply and all our other sponsors who really helped make this week possible,” said Andy Chapman with Eat Jackson. “Our entire team worked really

hard getting the

word out about Jackson Restaurant Week. The participating restaurants are great and we are glad to partner with each of the charities and help them get the word out about what they are doing.” Friends of Children’s Hospital board members gathered in the hospital lobby along with Eat Jackson representatives, event sponsors and chefs from participating restaurants for a check presentation on Wednesday, November 19th. “Friends of Children’s Hospital is so excited to win these funds from Jackson Restaurant

Week,” said Sara Ray, chairman of the board of

directors for Friends. “We are so glad for the community’s support of this event. Thank you to all the restaurants, chefs, sponsors and Eat Jackson.”

Newsletter printedBy AAA Printing

Published byDivision of Public Affairs

The Univerisity of MississippiMedical Center

52

more than $150,000

raised to help the children of

Batson

Donna Windsor with Friends of Children’s Hospital hands the keys to the MiracleHome

to David Butler, winner of the 2011 Batson Hospital MiracleHome, as WJTV’s Linda Allen

waits to interview him.

Sponsors and Chefs present $10,000 to Friends board members for receiving the most votes

during Jackson Restaurant Week. Shown from left: Mason Greene, Hotel & Restaurant

Supply; Leigh Reeves, president-elect for Friends; Andy Wilson, Chef at Underground 119;

Andy Chapman, Eat Jackson; Dr. Bob Abney, Friends board member; Sara Ray, chairman

of the board for Friends and Dr. Rick Barr, Chairman of the Department of Pediatrics and

Friends board member.