Posts Tagged ‘volunteer’

Sharing Care helps out at the Coleberry Golf Tournament for HopeKids MN

Friday, August 17th, 2012

PHS employees are pretty lucky to work for an organization that puts such importance on giving back and volunteering time. We get fantastic opportunities to be out in the community supporting like-minded organizations that support medically-fragile kids and their families. This week, Sharing Care volunteers had a great time helping out at the Coleberry Golf Tournament benefiting HopeKids MN! We spent the morning helping out with the kids golf clinic on the driving range and the putting green. In the evening we had fun driving the golf carts around the course taking down tents once the tournament was over. But a word to the wise, watch out for the poles when taking down tents, PHS volunteer, Bruce, will tell you that they don’t feel too good on your head. You can check out all of the pictures on the PHS Facebook page.

HopeKids MN is an organization that provides ongoing events & activities and a powerful, unique support community for families who have a child with cancer or some other life-threatening medical condition.  Have you heard of HopeKids? Do your kids participate in their events? If so, what has your favorite been? We’d love to hear from you.

Blood Drives and Baby Walks

Friday, June 8th, 2012

Summertime brings so many fun events for PHS Sharing Care volunteers. In the past few weeks we have given back by hosting a blood drive here at PHS in conjunction with Memorial Blood Centers as well as by volunteering with the Children’s Hospitals and Clinics Baby Steps 3K. Both events were a great success. See below for more information and some fun pictures! You can always stay up-to-date with PHS activities on our facebook page. Be sure to check it out!

Each year PHS hosts two blood drives in coordination with Memorial Blood Centers. This is the second drive where we’ve added a bit of competition. We now have ‘The Quick Draw’ traveling trophy that goes to the donor with the fastest donation time (SAFELY!!!) Donating was easy and the competition was a ton of fun, we’re already looking forward to our next drive. Thank you to Memorial Blood Centers for making sure our competition is fun, yet still safe. PHS blood drives are open to the public as well. Keep an eye out on our facebook page for sign up information. Drives are held twice a year in May and November!

PHS was excited to be able to participate as sponsors and volunteers for the Children’s Hospitals and Clinics Baby Steps 3K. The event is a way for families with children who have “graduated” from the Children’s NICU to get together, raise money and have A LOT of fun! The event took place June 2nd at the MN State Fairgrounds. With over 1,800 attendees and around $83,000 raised, there were 115 family teams that participated this year. The beautiful weather helped the day go without a hitch!

Full Bellies and Happy Hearts

Friday, January 20th, 2012

Sharing Care volunteers spent Wednesday night at the Ronald McDonald House in Minneapolis. We had the pleasure of participating in their Cook for Kids program, where volunteers buy ingredients and prepare dinner for the families staying at the Ronald McDonald House. The facility, which offers 8,500 square feet including:

  • 16 private rooms with bedrooms and showers
  • In-room Internet, TV/DVD players, phone with hospital extensions
  • Full kitchen with snacks, beverages and cooking facilities
  • Laundry facilities
  • Living room and lounge space with a TV
  • A quiet space, computer lab with internet access
  • Exercise facilities
  • Outside patio

It truly is a beautiful facility that offers the guests some of the comforts of home, all located right inside Children’s Hospital.

Clockwise starting in upper left: Sara and Jodi serving; Claudia enjoying some of the feast; the big group: (left to right) Sharon, Sara, Suzie, Janelle, Jodi, Dana, Claudia; and Suzie with her beautiful pancakes.

We had Suzie, Jodi, Sara, Janelle, Sharon, Claudia and Dana all working together to churn out a menu of Breakfast for Dinner ( a big hit the last time around, so we figured if it’s not broken, why fix it) the following:

  • We scrambled 242 eggs
  • Baked 180 slices of bacon
  • Heated up 144 turkey sausage links
  • Flipped 120 pancakes
  • Chopped 6 cantaloupes, 24 bananas and a whole large package of grapes

All-in-all we fed 86 people and had a blast doing it. We also received a ‘thank you card’ from one family immediately following the meal.

You can check out all of the pictures on the PHS facebook page here.

PHS is thankful for amazing volunteers

Friday, November 18th, 2011

PHS’s volunteerism program, Sharing Care, has been busy with some fun activities in the past few weeks and we’re excited to be able to share them with you all.

iCAN Hoop

Last Sunday, November 13th, Sharing Care volunteers made the trek out to Excelsior to play basketball with some extremely talented kids. The basketball clinics are put on by West Metro Miracle Athletics (they also has a baseball league in the summer) provides super special children in the west metro, with ANY cognitive and/or physical challenges an opportunity to play basketball and baseball. PHSers had so much fun practicing dribbling, shooting and passing with the kids. Former U of M Gopher basketball player Jeff Hagen was also on hand to teach the kids some moves and the importance to focus and dedication not only on the court but also in the classroom. You can check out the photos in the video slideshow below or by visiting our facebook page here.

Memorial Blood Centers- Blood Drive

This year PHS decided to add a little competition to our blood drives; we now have ‘The Quick Draw’ traveling trophy that goes to the donor with the fastest donation time (SAFELY!!!) The new competition was a ton of fun yesterday and we’re already looking forward to our next drive. Thank you to Memorial Blood Centers for making sure our competition is fun, yet still safe.

Does your child play in the iCAN hoop league? Or do you have any ideas for other fun volunteer events for the Sharing Care group? Leave us a comment, we’d love to hear from you!

Sharing Care at Faith’s Lodge

Friday, April 8th, 2011

PHS doesn’t just take care of children and families. We also proudly help care for a very special place where families can grieve and build hope. It’s Faith’s Lodge, a very special retreat center for parents and families who face a child’s serious illness or death.

Just a few weeks ago, PHS Sharing Care volunteers spent a day at Faith’s Lodge in Danbury, Wisconsin. We share our time each year, and this year, we helped with spring cleaning, inside and out, and prepared and froze healthy meals.

Watch PHS cook, clean, and chop down trees

As spring dawns, PHS is thankful for our partnership with Faith’s Lodge, where our patients and families can also renew their spirits alongside people who empathize with their experiences. Thanks for renewing us, too!

See Faith’s Lodge Sharing Care photos on our Facebook page.

More about PHS Sharing Care.

Taking care of the child this holiday season with toy donations

Thursday, December 23rd, 2010

PHS is wrapping up our 20th birthday celebration year with a haul of toys to donate to kids in need. Each month throughout the year of 2010 PHS employees collected and donated various items to local food shelves and charitable organizations. December was no exception, and Sharing Care coordinators knew immediately what December was going to be all about– TOYS!

Every child should get a toy for the holidays. From November 23 to December 19, PHS employees and family caregivers made sure that was possible by collecting more than 300 toys that were donated to the annual Toys for Tots drive. A team of PHS Sharing Care Volunteers dropped off the toys to the KARE11 tent on December 19. The toys are currently being distributes to families and children in need throughout the Twin Cities. Check out more photos from this event and other Sharing Care events on the PHS Flickr page here.

During this family-filled season we are happy and grateful to ensure your medically-fragile kids stay at home, where they belong, this holiday. We are looking forward to an exciting 2011 and all the fun it will bring.

How does your family celebrate the holiday season? Do you have any fun traditions you’d like to share with PHS? We’d love to hear from you.

Boxes and bags full of toys donated by PHS employees to support Toys for Tots and families in need this holiday season.

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PHS toy delivery volunteers and Marines outside the Kare11 drop off tent with the van full of toys from PHS staff.

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PHS volunteers Lynda, Nick and John help unload the van full of toys for Toys for Tots on December 19.