Merit Health hosting jewelry fundraising sale

Published 10:23 am Wednesday, April 4, 2018

Merit Health River Region kicks off its semi-annual Masquerade jewelry sale today.

The event is a fundraiser sponsored by the hospital volunteers, director of marketing Leigh White said.

“The money raised goes towards the Joe and Feeney Elliott Scholarship Fund,” White said.

“Feeney was a volunteer years ago who loved the hospital, and her husband, Joe, also became a volunteer. They were very special to our volunteer auxiliary, so when the auxiliary decided to start a scholarship fund, the members decided to name it after Joe and Feeney Elliott,” White said.

Scholarship applications are available to any graduating senior at the four local high schools who are looking to pursue a career in health care or the medical field. Scholarship recipients are chosen by a group of volunteers made up of educators and nurses, with two students from each school awarded cash scholarships, White said.

“Last year the scholarships awarded were for $2,000, each,” she said.

Also, one scholarship is awarded to a Miss Mississippi Pageant non-finalist who is planning on going into the medical or health care field.

“That scholarship is a $1,500 scholarship,” White said.

All items sold at the sale, which includes jewelry, bags, scarves, clothing items and cell phone accessories, are priced at $5 and the volunteers receive $1 for each sale.

White said in years past, the group has made in excess of $10,000 between the fall and spring sales.

“The Masquerade sale is very successful,” White said, with more than a 1,000 shoppers attending the events.

“We have women coming from all over for the jewelry sale. We will have people even calling after one is over asking when the next jewelry sale will be,” White said.

For the event, a representative from the Masquerade Company will provide items for the sale, White said.

“She will get in there and start setting up and she and her staff will do the checking out and restock the merchandise,” White said.

Hospital volunteers assist by setting up tables and aid shoppers.

The spring 2018 sale will run from 7 a.m. to 4 p.m. today through Friday.

The event will be held at the Merit Health River Region, 2100 Highway 61 North, in conference rooms C and D. Cash, credit and debit cards will be accepted, only.

For more information, call 601-883-6118.

About Terri Cowart Frazier

Terri Frazier was born in Cleveland. Shortly afterward, the family moved to Vicksburg. She is a part-time reporter at The Vicksburg Post and is the editor of the Vicksburg Living Magazine, which has been awarded First Place by the Mississippi Press Association. She has also been the recipient of a First Place award in the MPA’s Better Newspaper Contest’s editorial division for the “Best Feature Story.”

Terri graduated from Warren Central High School and Mississippi State University where she received a bachelor’s degree in communications with an emphasis in public relations.

Prior to coming to work at The Post a little more than 10 years ago, she did some freelancing at the Jackson Free Press. But for most of her life, she enjoyed being a full-time stay at home mom.

Terri is a member of the Crawford Street United Methodist Church. She is a lifetime member of the Vicksburg Junior Auxiliary and is a past member of the Sampler Antique Club and Town and Country Garden Club. She is married to Dr. Walter Frazier.

“From staying informed with local governmental issues to hearing the stories of its people, a hometown newspaper is vital to a community. I have felt privileged to be part of a dedicated team at The Post throughout my tenure and hope that with theirs and with local support, I will be able to continue to grow and hone in on my skills as I help share the stories in Vicksburg. When asked what I like most about my job, my answer is always ‘the people.’

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