St. Mark’s Kicks Off Annual Thanksgiving Basket Drive

St. Mark’s Medical Center Heart Committee that will be all hands on deck coordinating the upcoming Thanksgiving Basket Drive: (front row, from left) Ronda Newton,Registration Manager; Mel Burgess, Facilities Manager; Kim Lookingbill, ED Director; Johnny Jasek, Maintenance Tech; Carrie Stewart,OR Scheduler; Courtney Menefee, Materials & EVS manager; (back) Amanda Wood, Accounts Payable Clerk, Hillery Carraway, HR Director, Laurie Quitta, Med/Surg Services Director and DeAndrea Baker, Executive Assistant. Not Pictured: Sharon Jasek, RN; Angela Riske, HIM Director; Eric Boudoin, Systems Analyst; Annette Cooper, Informatics Specialist.

St. Mark’s Medical Center is again holding their annual Thanksgiving Food Basket Drive for The Family Crisis Center families in Fayette, Lee, Bastrop & Colorado Counties. For more than 20 years, the hospital’s employees have coordinat-ed and donated to the event, along with community members.

“We expect to serve over 100 families again this year,” said Laurie Quitta, RN, Medical/ Surgical Services Director at St. Mark’s.

“We need the participation of the community to ensure that we help those in need enjoy a hearty meal for the Thanksgiving holiday.”

Community members, student and church groups are invited to assemble items in a covered tub or sturdy shopping bags and bring it to St. Mark’s at 10 a.m. on Thursday, Nov. 17. A group picture will be taken of all who wish to be included.

Full meal contents are listed below. Gift cards — suggested $20 or more — for the Crisis Center staff to purchase turkeys, should be securely attached to the outside of the tub or bag to en-sure they are not lost.

“The families receiving the baskets also love how creative our donors are — some also include a greeting card with special blessings for the receiving family, candles, a tablecloth, holiday paper plates and napkins, really anything that they think their own families consider part of a special meal,” continued Quitta.”

“We are blessed to live and work in a generous and thoughtful community that is willing to share their gifts with those less fortunate,” said Mark Kimball, President and CEO of St. Mark’s. “This event is one of our team’s favorites as it’s a way to make a clear difference in the lives of some of our neighbors most in need.”

Basket Shopping List

• $20 gift card to WalMart, HEB or Brookshire Brothers (to be used for purchase of turkey & dessert items)

• Macaroni & cheese – (1 large box)

•Yams (1-29 oz can)

• Instant potatoes (2 boxes)

• Stovetop stuffing – (2 boxes)

• Cranberry sauce (2- 16 oz

cans)

• Green beans or peas or both (2-16 oz cans)

• Corn (2 -16 oz cans)

• Canned fruit (1 – 16 oz can)

• Sugar (2 lb bag)

• Cream of chicken or mushroom Soup

• Cake mixes & frosting

• Jello (1 large box)

• Tea (1 jar instant or 1 box of bags)

• Gravy (2 pkgs instant or 2 jars)

• Mayonnaise (1 – 16 oz jar)

• Holiday Candy (1 bag or

box) For more information, please contact Laurie Quitta at 979.242.2323 or text 979.966.7040.