Give Said The Little Stream
What follows is not meant to be a moment of boasting. At all. But if one of our four core beliefs is the idea of giving back to the communities we serve, at some point we have to talk about it–even if it makes us feel a little uncomfortable to do so. And we readily acknowledge that what we might be able to give is small when juxtaposed to larger, for-profit organizations, but we do not let that hinder our desire to give back anyway.
Two of the more public ways in which we try to give back to those we serve include what has become an annual golf tournament (partnering with our friends at Blue Mountain Hospital in Blanding) called the Scholarship Scramble whose sole purpose is to raise scholarship funds for local students pursuing education in healthcare-related fields and an annual fundraiser we call KIND (Kids In Needs of Donations) at the end of the year whose sole purpose is to try and help meet some basic needs of children and their families in our local communities.
Annual Scholarship Scramble
Since July of 2017, we have partnered with Blue Mountain Hospital to create the Scholarship Scramble—a fun golf tournament that takes place at what just may be the greatest public golf course in Utah (The Hideout).
The golfing is great (and depending on whom you ask you may be told that it is the best tournament that takes place at The Hideout), but the purpose is better. All proceeds–from team fees to donations from local and other businesses and organizations–go to fund scholarships for local students pursuing studies in healthcare-related fields.
In the first three years of The Scramble’s existence, we have been able to give over $39,000 in scholarships to local students and we think that is kind of awesome. Here is a photo of the scholarship recipients from a recent Scramble:
KIND Campaign
Since Christmas 2016, we have held our annual KIND (Kids In Need of Donations) campaign which has asked employees and friends of San Juan Health to make voluntary donations which go to help children and their families have some of their basic needs met and the results have been moving.
We recognize that in every community there are those whose situation finds them in desperate need of very basic things–winter boots, hats, gloves, jackets, eyeglasses, food, simple presents. We try to help meet these needs around Christmas because we echo the sentiments of Charles Dickens from A Christmas Carol (see quote).
With the voluntary donations from staff and friends, we engage local schools and organizations that service children and give them the proceeds of funds raised to use to benefit children and families with real needs in our area.
Since 2016, we have been able to donate over $97,000 through our KIND campaign and we feel grateful for the opportunity to serve our communities in this way.
We choose this time, because it is a time, of all others, when want is keenly felt, and abundance rejoices.