Dec. 6 — Annual event raises money for children’s programs

Fundraising gala raises more than $212,000 for children’s programs at area hospital

Chris Albert / of the Herald

This time of the year, giving is on the forefront of a lot of people’s minds.

At the fifth annual Tis the Season gala, the community raised more than $212,000 for children’s programs at Good Samaritan Hospital.

The Nov. 16 event brought the five-year total of fundraising to more than $1 million.

Every year the event is held at Watsons’ Greenhouse and Nursery and has become synonymous with the start of the holiday season in the community, said Barb Herbert, executive director of the Good Samaritan Foundation.

“They really roll out the red carpet for us,” said Karen Cooley, community volunteer for the event.

More than 460 people attended the event and 40 volunteers spent their time making sure each attendee got the royal treatment.

Upon entering the gala, visitors were greeted by hospital executives, board members and a glass of champagne.

“I think it was fantastic,” Cooley said. “It was way more fun and exciting that I could ever dream of.”

For the first time the event sold out, said Beth Brooks, communications coordinator with the foundation.

“This was the first year we actually had to turn people down,” she said.

“It was the hottest ticket in town is what we were told,” Herbert said. “It was physically glowing and mentally glowing.”

There were more than 400 items auctioned off at the event.

“So some people did start their Christmas shopping with us too,” Herbert said.

Live and silent actions took place. John Curly from Evening Magazine emceed the live auction. A “fund a need” auction was specially slated to raise money to purchase special beds for premature babies in the pediatric unit.

People donated between $50 and $5,000 and more than $62,000 was raised to purchase two beds.

One item up for auction was a visit from Santa. Chris Kringle will come to the winner’s house for two hours to visit with the family, make cookies and spread holiday cheer.

Keeping to the tradition of the 100th Apple Cup, a University of Washington gift basket and a Washington State University gift basket faced off to be bid on.

Like the outcome of this year’s football game, the Cougar basket won out, going for $1,300, while the Husky basket went for $600.

Staff at the hospital also came up with gift baskets to donate, with each department making its own. Many spent some time on creating a complete gift experience, like a holiday ski vacation that included ski gear and lift tickets.

One of the beneficiaries of the event is the Children’s Therapy Unit on the hospital’s campus. Learning about CTU and the many services it provides to the community made volunteering for the gala a necessity for Cooley.

“I was thinking coming in I need to ask for a tour,” she said. “Then it was like ‘this is why I’m doing this.’”

The internationally renowned unity provides therapy for children with disabilities ranging from physical to developmental.

“Many of our children’s programs need additional funding because insurance just doesn’t cover it all,” Herbert said.

The event is a way for the community to invest in their hospital and the care they receive, Herbert said.

“This is our hospital,” she said. “I think people take a lot of ownership for what’s in their community.”

The amount of money that has been raised is proof of that, she added, and because the money goes back into the hospital programs it’s something the community can actually see take place.

“That makes a huge difference in wanting to live here,” Cooley said.

But it’s not just about giving money, Herbert said.

“We get a lot of people at a lot of different levels involved,” she said. “Everyone can contribute something.”

People volunteer, give what they can and do their best to support the children’s programs at the hospital.

“I’ve never had so much fun giving,” Cooley said

In many ways, the event also gives the hospital a chance to reach to the community by making aware what is offered at Good Samaritan and the kind of care they can expect from their continued support.

As East Pierce County continues to grow, the hospital is the working at growing with it, as a health care provider to the region not just Puyallup, Herbert said.