It was a festive morning inside Sycamore Shoals Hospital Tuesday.
The hospital’s Team Member Advisory Group (MAG) hosted a chili/soup lunch inside the facility to help benefit the WCQR Project Thanksgiving initiative.
An annual tradition at the hospital, Morgan Farris, with the MAG, like how this year’s event grew compared to previous encounters.
“The participation has grown,” she said. “We’ve done it the past four years and people have came in to bring either chili or soup. We do this as a way to help families in the community.”
Sycamore Shoals was raising money to help prepare 50 meals for families through “Project Thanksgiving” – offered through Second Harvest Food Bank. As of noon, the group had already raised enough funding for 32 meals.
Fans of WCQR were also able to see one of the more notables names Tuesday, DJ Rhonda (Lacey), who assisted with the lunch.
“When they asked if I could come I said absolutely,” Lacey said. “I’m from Elizabethton, went to Elizabethton High School and lived here all my life. It’s a great time.”
Sycamore Shoals is one of the partners with WCQR when it comes to raising funds for Second Harvest.
“We can reach a lot of people, we raise the funds, recruit the volunteers and we don’t collect any of the money,” she said. “The donations ($25) go toward meals that have a full-sized turkey with different sides and other food that can help families over the following days. We’ve also reached out with Lifeway and they’ve partnered with us to give a bible. Having those partners, like Sycamore Shoals, is great. Over 6200 people in the Tri-Cities were able to receive a meal through Second Harvest last year.”
Taking part of the opportunity came easy for the MAG, Farris said, as the group is always looking to help serve the community.
“It’s all a group of frontline team members,” Farris said about the group. “Anybody that is not a manager or above meet together once a month to discuss things like retention concerns, hospitals, team members needing assistance and putting together these different types of projects.”
Farris added the MAG will be working with the Salvation Army with the Christmas Tree program to help provide toys to children within the region.
But throughout the month of November donations are being raised for Second Harvest, and Lacey added she likes how things have gone so far.
“It’s been great,” Lacey said. “People are getting a headstart. We’re going to be on the air all day the 10th to raise donations.”
To make a $25 donation for a meal to benefit a family, individuals can either call Farris at (423) 542-1269 or call WCQR at 1-888-477-5676.