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Rice Medical hosts annual Harvest Ball
Rice Medical Center Employee Volunteers held their 29th annual Harvest Ball fundraiser last Saturday, Oct. 12 at the St. Mary’s Nada Community Center.
Every year since 1995, the Harvest Ball has been held in an effort to raise funds outside the hospital’s budget for equipment and renovations, bringing in over a million dollars throughout the years.
The event in addition to fundraising, recognizes and honor individuals, couples, organizations or health issues that have made a difference.
This year, the RMC honored Dorothy Hyek, a local woman within the Garwood- Nada area and co-owner of Nada Grocery alongside her husband Victor Hyek, for her impact on the community and service to the Harvest Ball from its inception, donating items from their store to organization’s fundraisers throughout the years.
Dorothy has also donated an “uncountable” amount of homemade kolache rolls, bringing in thousands of dollars for said fundraisers.
One person who has watched Dorothy’s impact at play her whole life, RMC Medical Records Director Vicky Pavlu, her daughter, says Dorothy’s service to the community went above and beyond just raising money for a good cause.
“Dorothy’s impact on this community and other is truly beyond measure,” said Pavlu. “She has provided food and drinks to the Garwood Fire Department when they are out fighting major fires or accidents, donated home cooked meals to those who are sick or have lost loved ones, helped decorate the Harvest Ball for many of the earlier years, made the macaroni and cheese and rice for the Nada KC fish fries, and has given out many a meal, kolache, candy or drink to customers free of charge because she loved them like family.”
Pavlu says seeing the support of everyone rallying behind the RMC and Dorothy was “incredibly uplifting,” reinforcing the belief that their mission has resonated with the community. She emphasizes how the RMC is striving to “transform rural healthcare,” and how fundraisers like these thrown by employees, with the support of the community, help play their part in funding initiatives for the hospital.
“Last year we were able to make our biggest purchase yet, a 3D mammogram unit for $231,191,” said Pavlu. “We have pur-helping chased may other items over the years including birthing room furnishings, hospital signage, paying a third of a nurse’s call system, over $70,000 towards a 2D mammogram unit, colonoscope, new TVs for patient rooms, stretchers, wheelchairs, new mattresses for patients, furniture for rooms and so much more.”
The RMC does not just raise funds but gives money back to the community according to Pavlu, through scholarships to high school seniors entering the medical field.
“We started this in 1998,” said Pavlu. “Since then, we have given out $80,500 in scholarships.”
The money is raised through a silent and live auction, with the hottest item for sale during the event, an eightcourse gourmet dinner for eight, going for $14,000. Like many other items, the dinner was a donation, made by Dr. Russell Thomas, Julis Pardue, Elfe Thomas and the RMC Employee Volunteers.
Pavlu says the RMC has also been raising funds for some time to build an Educational Building that will also include a Wellness Center, Physical Therapy Clinic and Specialty Clinic, totaling nearly $500,000.
“At Rice Medical Center, we are transforming rural healthcare by bringing board-certified emergency room physicians, each with experience in Level 1 trauma and academic centers, to rural Texas,” said Pavlu. “We are excited to announce our facility expansion, which will include a new seven- bed trauma center, wellness and therapy center, and updates to much of the hospital.”
