HMH to host ‘Docs Around the Block’

By Kristin Edwards
Staff Reporter

May 07, 2008 11:09 pm

— Two special events will be held at Huntsville Memorial Hospital today including the hospital’s first “Docs Around the Block” party and the dedication of the first phase of its current landscaping project by the Walker County Master Gardeners.
The landscaping dedication will begin at 5 p.m., followed by the block party beginning at 5:30 p.m. at the hospital’s front entrance.
According to Sally Nelson, HMH chief executive officer, the events will provide the public with the opportunity to learn about both interior and exterior improvements going on at the hospital.
“We’re very excited about showcasing all of the services Huntsville’s medical center offers,” she said. “There have been so many wonderful changes both within the hospital and in the medical center surrounding the hospital, we thought it time to celebrate and introduce all of the changes to the community.
“At the same time, with all the changes the hospital has been implementing internally, it’s great to see an external beautification of our center.”
The Walker County Master Gardeners dedication will be held at 5 p.m., Nelson said, and it will showcase some of the recent landscaping work which has been planned for the hospital.
“I want to thank the Master Gardeners who dedicated so much time and energy to this project,” she said. “It just made sense to bring healing power to the grounds of the hospital.”
The Master Gardeners designed landscaping for several areas around the hospital.
So far, the hospital has installed water lines to run to the front entrance of the hospital and has had new flower beds built and planted.
Further projects include flower bed planting at the hospital entrance sign at Medical Center Parkway, a walking trail and a landscaped smoking area adjacent to the employee parking lot.
“This was such a fun project to work on, and we look forward to completing the remaining phases of the project,” said Sandy Tykol, Master Gardener. “The hospital is such an important part of our community, and we wanted to help them express that same passion they have for treating patients throughout their facility.”
Following the Master Gardeners’ dedication, the “Docs Around the Block” party will begin at 5:30 p.m. at the hospital’s front entrance.
Festivities will include food, music and prizes including a 50-inch plasma screen television.
“We wanted to present the outstanding physicians, motivated healthcare leadership and compassionate staff in our community to all of our neighbors,” Nelson said. “We have a very strong team that is committed to excellence.”
During the block party, guests will be given a punch card and will have the opportunity to complete it as they progress through various hospital complexes.
After attending as many individual open houses as possible, which must include one from each complex, cards with eight punches or more may be submitted for door prize drawings by 7:55 p.m.
For more information on the block party or the dedication, contact Karen Bilsing, HMH director of marketing, wellness and volunteers, at (936) 291-4599.