Blood drive with Big Red Bus Saturday at Merchants Crossing

Go to Jam on the Coast or Taco Fest Fort Myers and save lives with a special blood drive from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m., Saturday, March 4, at Merchants Crossing, 15201 N. Cleveland Ave., North Fort Myers, when blood donors can get on the Big Red Bus.

Blood donors receive free admission to the Jam on the Coast or Taco Fest Fort Myers, a $20 eGift card, a limited edition OneBlood St. Patrick’s Day T-shirt and a wellness checkup.

Generally healthy people age 16 or older who weigh at least 110 pounds can donate blood. A photo ID is required. To learn more about the importance of blood donation and how donors can target the power of their blood type visit oneblood.org.

Find out more at www.oneblood.org/magic

Registration now open for Hope Healthcare’s Rainbow Trails Day Camp

Hope Healthcare will host its Rainbow Trails Day Camp on Saturday, May 6, at the Alliance for the Arts in Fort Myers for children ages 6-17 who have experienced the loss of a loved one during the past year.

The camp will be held from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. and include creative, stress-reducing activities like crafts, recreation and singing, as well as professional grief support. Led by experienced bereavement counselors, children and teens will have the opportunity to begin the healing process alongside their peers.

There is no charge to attend and Hope will host an orientation via Zoom for parents and guardians prior to the start of the camp. The deadline to submit camper applications is April 28. To learn more about Rainbow Trails Day Camp or to register a child, visit https://www.hopehcs.org/rainbowtrailscamp. For more information, contact Kay Kelly at 239-333-4256 or Kay.Kelly@HopeHCS.org.

Hope Healthcare is a not-for-profit organization dedicated to providing care and comfort to every person and their loved ones in life’s closing chapter. To learn more about Hope’s innovative programs and supportive community services, visit HopeHCS.org.

Lee Health honors Lex Roulston with Humanitarian Award

Lee Health Foundation has awarded the Frank Haskell Humanitarian Award to Lex Roulston for his dedication and commitment to the Foundation since 1995. As one of the top donors in Lee Health Foundation history, Roulston’s generosity has made a tremendous impact on the lives of many in Southwest Florida.

Each year, Lee Health Foundation honors a deserving individual with the Frank Haskell Humanitarian Award, which recognizes outstanding leadership in the advancement of quality health care for Southwest Florida residents. The award is named in honor of Frank Haskell, who along with his late wife, Betty, co-founded Barbara’s Friends – Golisano Children’s Hospital Cancer Fund. For more than 20 years, Frank Haskell has worked nonstop to help local children win their battles with cancer and life-threatening blood disorders.

The Haskell Award was presented at the Foundation’s annual Evening of Appreciation, a formal event thanking donors and supporters for their generosity and unwavering commitment to enhancing health care services within the Lee Health network. Held Feb. 7 at the Forest Country Club, the formal event thanked an estimated 275 donors and supporters in attendance, including the strong and active Lee Health Foundation board led by chair Joe Catti. Dr. Larry Antonucci, Lee Health’s president and CEO, and Chris Simoneau, Lee Health’s chief development, marketing and communications officer, also shared insights into Lee Health’s plans for the next five to seven years to continue serving the Southwest Florida community, including improving access to care, expanding cancer and cardiovascular services, addressing the social determinants of health, and delivering the right care, at the right place and time, and at the right costs.

For more about health care advocacy in Southwest Florida and philanthropic opportunities with Lee Health, visit LeeHealthFoundation.org.

Hope Healthcare earns high honors from National Hospice and Palliative Care Organization

Hope Healthcare has been awarded four rings from the National Hospice and Palliative Care Organization Quality Connections program.

The NHPCO Quality Connections program recognizes hospice agencies for demonstrating an organization-wide commitment to continuous quality improvement. Four rings is the highest rating of service excellence based on four fundamental pillars of care, including education, application, measurement and innovation. Hope received three rings during the inaugural year of the program in 2021.

With more than 40 years of experience as a local, not-for-profit healthcare organization, Hope Healthcare is dedicated to providing care and comfort for people in life’s closing chapter. A compassionate team of staff and volunteers offers practical, spiritual and emotional support for the entire family.

For more information, visit HopeHCS.org.