A local nonprofit organization wants to help you start your holidays off with a power hour (or four) of Christmas shopping, while at the same time raising money for nursing scholarships.
The Healthcare Network Association is sponsoring the Mistletoe Market, a holiday shopping and craft fair to be held Wednesday from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. at the Pitser Garrison Civic Center. With more than two dozen vendors offering a variety of wares from duck calls to crocheted hats to customized-on-the-spot T-shirts to home decor, there's a good chance you'll find something for even the hardest people on your Christmas list.
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On sale at the Mistletoe Market are handpainted ornaments made by supporters, staff and residents of Buckner Family Place. Proceeds from the sale of the ornaments will benefit women who are trying to better their lives by going to college.
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HNA will use the proceeds from the event to fund nursing scholarships, which are awarded to members whose graduating children are planning to enter the health care field.
Founded nearly 10 years ago by a registered nurse in Beaumont who saw a need for the medical community to network, HNA is an association of health care professionals or people linked to the health care industry. There are four groups in the network: Lufkin (also includes Livingston and Nacogdoches), Beaumont, North (includes Jasper, Woodville, Hemphill and San Augustine) and Mid-County (includes Port Arthur, Nederland and Groves). Each group hosts one meeting a month, and members can choose to attend one or more of them.
"There was a need for people to learn to work together, and to not look at each other just as competitors, because not one person or one organization can service every patient," explains Belinda Durham, of Oceans Behavioral Hospital and HNA board member. "And also to know how we can come together and educate ourselves and know what services are out there."
Last November, the Lufkin area group began, with an immediate influx of members.
"People were hungry for this in this area," said Vallie Cross, residence marketing manager for Neches House Assisted Living and HNA board member. "We were thinking it was just going to be Lufkin folks, but they have just poured in from surrounding areas. We've had tremendous response."
With more than 400 members now involved with HNA —150 in the Lufkin chapter alone — it has become clear the need for such an organization exists. Meetings are heavily attended and serve as a networking tool, source of knowledge and means of support for members.
Each lunchtime meeting is hosted at a member's facility and is highlighted by a guest speaker.
"We've had speakers who have talked about hurricane preparedness, identity theft, ethics, customer service in health care...," said Durham. "We've had someone from Buckner Family Place and the Alzheimer's Association and we've even had the Veterans Administration come and speak and educate us how to help patients who have VA benefits. In that, we become attuned in acknowledging other people's jobs and what our roles may or may not be."
In addition, HNA meetings offer a platform to smaller non-profits who want to reach a wide range of people within the medical community.
"It has been the best thing," said Cross. "We're really try to reach out to other small non-profits that may struggle to have people hear their cause or have a place to network with other people. This is the perfect vehicle for them. This way it moves to a broader base."
Meetings are also used to get to know others in the health care field in a more relaxed setting.
"It opens those doors where we can actually meet those people and get to know them as people, and also share our professions and business with them," said Stacy Snell, of Grace Care Center and chair of the Lufkin HNA, which she cofounded with Durham. "I have people come up to me after every meeting and say, 'Thank you so much for doing this here because it hasn't been done and there was such a need.' People were just trying to reach out and this has been a great avenue to do that."
Jessica Knight, marketing director for Abeldt's Pharmacy and an HNA board member, says co-sponsoring meetings has allowed her to talk about all the services the pharmacy offers.
"I've had several people walk up to me and say, 'I didn't know Abeldt's did all that,'" she said. "Being able to talk about it in that type of setting, and directly to the people, instead of trying to pinpoint them at their business when they're busy, has been very helpful."
Along with networking, HNA is actively involved with giving back to the community through toy, food and school supply drives, planned senior events and other charitable causes. And, the organization is already supporting the next generation of health care workers, with its $30 annual dues going into its scholarship fund.
"HNA is an awesome opportunity to go somewhere and feel better about yourself and your commitment to health care and your community," said Durham.
For more information about HNA, call Stacy Snell at (936) 212-1084.
For more information about the Mistletoe Market, call Vallie Cross at (936) 332-3160 or Jessica Knight at (936) 240-4208.
