Make a Child’s Holiday Memorable by Participating in UK HealthCare’s Circle of Love

LEXINGTON, Ky. (Nov. 18, 2015) — UK HealthCare faculty and staff members will brighten the holidays for children across Central Kentucky by shopping for gifts to go under the Christmas tree this season.

The 2015 Circle of Love gift drive, coordinated by the UK HealthCare Volunteer Services Office, kicks off today with volunteers handing out wish lists for 800 Kentucky children whose families need help during the holiday season. Individual UK HealthCare employees and their families or departments can sponsor a child’s wish list, or multiple wish lists. Wish lists can be picked up at the following locations and times from Nov. 18 to 20, Nov. 23 to 24 and Nov. 30 to Dec. 4:

·      Pavilion H near the gift shop: 8 a.m. to 4 p.m.

·      Kentucky Clinic near the Wildcat café (third floor): 11 a.m. to 1 p.m.

·      Good Samaritan Hospital cafeteria: 11 a.m. to 1 p.m.

Gifts must be wrapped and returned with wish list cards on Dec. 7 or Dec. 8. If your wish list was picked-up at the UK Chandler Hospital or Kentucky Clinic, please drop off at the Chandler Hospital North Lobby from 7 a.m. to 5 p.m. If your wish list was picked-up at Good Samaritan, please drop-off at the Good Samaritan Administrations Office from 8 a.m. to 2 p.m.

Donors should not include personal notes, photos or any identification with their gifts. Those employees who work off-site or work evening shifts can request a wish list by contacting Volunteer Services at (859) 323-6023.

“Through the generosity and kindness of our employees, we’re able to make the holidays a bit merrier for families who would otherwise be struggling to put gifts under the tree,” Katie Tibbitts, manager of UK HealthCare Volunteer Services said. “We encourage everyone to get into the spirit of giving to make the drive a success again this year.”

On Dec. 11, Santa will help UK HealthCare volunteers load gifts into yellow school buses and vans bound for households needing help in nine Kentucky counties.

Individual gift donations are also accepted. For more information, contact sara.miller1@uky.edu.

MEDIA CONTACT: Elizabeth Adams, elizabethadams@uky.edu