More than 100 local community members joined CHI St. Alexius Health team and leadership for their second annual Snazzy and Jazzy event on Saturday, December 10th at the old Armory.
Everyone came together for a night of music, delicious food and a chance at some serious bling, donated by Riddle’s Jewelry.
Pastor Steve Anderson began the evening with a blessing before attendees enjoyed a sit-down meal catered by River’s Edge and served by the Lady Tetons volleyball team. Light jazz by Cool Beans, a duo from Minot, played in the background. During the band’s intermission, a group from Harmonic, an organization that helps provide music and art resources, scholarships, mentorship opportunities, and inspiration to musicians and artists of all ages and backgrounds, focusing mostly on youth, dazzled the crowd with beautiful traditional Christmas music.
“This is not our gala or annual banquet. It’s completely funded by sponsors so it’s a free event for donors and supporters,” said Lorrie Antos, Interim President of CHI St. Alexius Health.
“It’s a chance to show some appreciation to the donors and sponsors who support CHI St. Alexius Health all year long, talk about the good that comes out of this work, and the great projects up ahead.”
Antos, Marcia Benway, the Marketing Specialist at CHI St. Alexius Health and Brittny Mayo, Foundation Development Coordinator shared updates from throughout the facility, including provider recruitment and marketing, as well as insights into the impact donors have had within CHI St. Alexius Health Williston.
Antos shared that the Oncology Department is proud to share the new state of the art Scalp Cooling Treatment available,which helps prevent hair loss during chemotherapy, and that the Leonard P. Nelson Family Cancer Center at CHI St. Alexius Health Williston has an onsite PET scanner which provides the highest quality imaging available for cancer monitoring while also being exposed to less radiation. Mayo shared later that the hospital Foundation approved $10,000 in funding to partially cover the Scalp Cooling treatments for the first 10 patients to receive this treatment - $1,000 per patient - and will revisit this amount with the intent to increase it should more funds be needed. The first patient to benefit from this funding received her first treatment in October.
“We also have a student sponsorship program that pays for school and guarantees a job after graduation for students interested in radiology, respiratory therapy, nursing and surgical tech careers,” Antos said. “We have so much good work going on, it’s wonderful to take a moment to celebrate it.”
Marcia Benway, the Marketing Specialist at CHI St. Alexius Health, presented some of the projects completed in 2022 and coming up in 2023, and highlighted the commitment CHI has to supporting their community. “This year, our leadership and providers voted to forgo receiving Christmas gifts this year and donated the allocated funds instead. Five organizations receiving a $1,200 donation on behalf of CHI leadership and providers.” Those receiving the donations include Harmonic, the Family Crisis Shelter, NDAD, Mondak Animal Rescue and Bras For a Cause.
“In FY 2023 alone (since July of 2022), community investment of $23,000 went to several organizations, including Out of the Darkness, Coyote Booster Club, Coyote Pups Daycare and so many more,” said Benway.
Brittny Mayo, Foundation Development Coordinator, presented numbers that show the impact of the work that happens all year long. “Last year, 72 employees donated an hour of their pay back to the hospital, 734 one-way trips were partially or completely paid for by a grant from the American Cancer Society, 315 people participated in our inaugural Sugar Bust 5k to benefit Diabetes patients, and 16 local patients benefited from funds raised during that event,” Mayo said. “We’re equally excited about the projects coming up, including our first capital campaign in 10 years, which will make it possible to renovate our MedSurge unit.”
Mayo announced that a new event will debut in 2023 in place of the long-running golf event.
“In an effort to bring the community together, we will swap the Golf Classic for a community fair day followed by an evening charity concert,” she said. “We’ll have fun for the whole family in the morning and afternoon with a small stage for local artists, dance teams and martial arts groups, games, booths, workshops and more.”
The fair will be free and tickets will be sold for the evening charity concert. The date, location and artist will be announced in 2023. Community partners and businesses wishing to participate should contact Mayo via email at [email protected].
The highlight of the evening was the Diamond Pull by event sponsor Riddle’s Jewelry. A $7,000 ring was in one of the 75 boxes sold. Each included a coupon for $100 off a purchase of $500 or more and a 1 karat loose gemstone – all donated by Davy Daniels and Olga Moony from Riddle’s Jewelry.
This year’s Snazzy and Jazzy event was made possible by Corporate Sponsor American State Bank, Event sponsors Cyndy Aafedt, Riddle’s Jewelry, FCI Constructors and Johnny’s Tavern. CHI St Alexius Health Williston also thanked Jennifer Nebeker for baking and donating 250 cookies, Kay Michael Lee Studio who volunteered to coat check for free will donations and Drive North for providing all of and donating a portion production and sound.