The week-long Christmas basket raffle at Warren General Hospital netted more than $14,800 for the WGH Auxiliary. The 11th annual over-the-top "baskets" proved to be the biggest money raiser yet for the auxiliary. This money, and all money raised by the auxiliary, stays in the community to help fund and support various projects: medical student scholarships, the chaplaincy program at WGH, health fairs and promotions, holiday decorations, waiting room toys, plants and reading materials. The auxiliary also sponsors adult and youth volunteer programs and operates the Window Box Gift Shop. All proceeds from this year's Basket Raffle are earmarked for the auxiliary's $150,000 pledge to the WGH Cancer Center.
The top money raiser was "All I Want for Christmas is a Smart TV Package" (basket #2), donated by the WGH Auxiliary Board. "Archery Basket" (basket #3), prepared by the WGH administration and the WGH board of directors was the second basket earner. The "Cooking Something Up Outdoors" (basket #1), by the Emergency/Outpatient Department, was the third basket in popularity. The top three baskets in popularity allow the respective departments to select a charity to receive a contribution check in their name.
Winners for each basket are: Denise Stromdehl - Basket #1 Cooking Outdoors (ER/Outpatient Dept); Jenal Pratt - Basket #2 Smart TV Package (WGH Auxiliary Board); Elisa Franklin - Basket #3 Archery Basket (WGH Administration/Board of Directors),; Cheryl Stellate - Basket #4 Our Favorite Things (3B/IMSAC); Marla McMeans - Basket #5 Reading by the Fire (Imaging Dept); Mary Posker - Basket #6 Southern Comfort (Hospice); John Berdine - Basket # 7 You "Auto" be Good (Housekeeping); Carmen Culbertson - Basket #8 Season's Greetings (UPMC); Ridy Wiles - Basket #9 Birds of a Feather (Window Box Gift Shop); Charles Brunst - Basket #10 Happy Holidays (Warren Medical Group); Ruth Myer - Basket #11 Feeling Lucky (Patient Accounts/Fiscal Services); Chuck Keller - Basket #12 Wine, Dine & Kindle Time (Health Information Services); Denise Keppel - Basket #13 Christmas Can Be Crazy (3C/Deerfield Behavior Health); Jeri Bleech - Basket #14 Books for Baby (Maternity/Child Health Unit); Michelle Neal - Basket #15 End of the World (Rehab Works).