In the Beginning…
Rice District Community Hospital Employee Trust Fund – started in 1993 when an employee sent out a letter to all of her fellow employees asking for their help. The hospital was in financial trouble and this employee asked for each employee to donate $5.00 out of every pay check to go to a fund that would be used for updating the facility with new equipment and furnishings that the hospital itself could not afford. The majority of the staff signed up for the $5.00 withdrawal. This was kept going by some employees up until 1998.
Their first fundraiser was a bake sale where they raised enough money to buy paint, wallpaper and mini-blinds to give a much needed face lift to our hospital nursery.
Since then we have held many fundraisers:
- Spook House
- Back to School Carnival
- Bake sales
- Taco sales
- Harvest Ball starting in 1996
- RMC Classic starting in 1997
- Brown Bag Hamburger Lunch starting in 1995 (starting in 1998 proceeds go to RHS scholarship)
- Booth at the Prairie Chicken Festival
- Antiquities Pictures
- Tupperware Sales
- Raffles – Mother’s Day, Father’s Day, Trip (Several items were donated by the hospital employees)
- Extravaganza and Craft Booths
- Desserts at KC Meal Fundraiser
- Vending machines at the hospital
- Giving Tree of Life
When the Employee Trust fund would advertise their fundraisers, there were questions from the community about what the “Trust Fund” was all about. They said the name was misleading; it sounded like the money just went to the employees. Thus, in 1999 when we applied to become a 501C-4 we changed the name to Rice Medical Center Employee Volunteers for Hospital Improvement.
Rice Medical Center Employee Volunteers
Our Mission
We will endeavor to improve anything that impacts the quality of care to our patients or makes our hospital a better facility in which to work!
"Our" BIG Project!!!
An education building…
Not only “book learning” or “certification” education and training, but education that will benefit our entire community. Our goal is to create a facility and environment of learning which fosters excellence. A place where there is room to have the desired course of education presented successfully with all necessary teaching aids, 
demonstrations and equipment to be efficient, effective and excellent.
Our goal is to outfit this facility to reach a varied audience; not only hospital employees. We hope to host educational classes for the public, as well. Diabetes education is a major line of study that will be targeted. With a full kitchen included, even dietary and culinary skills may be addressed in this facility.
We will also build in adequate storage to house our emergency response equipment so that, if the unfortunate need arises, we will be swift in meeting the medical and safety needs of our community.
This facility is being funded by our wonderful donors like you! We are also in the process of applying for grants to assist us in reaching our goal.
We can use your help to make this goal a reality. Please consider donating to this worthy endeavor by sending your donation to:
Rice Medical Center Employee Volunteers
P.O. Box 277
Eagle Lake, TX 77434
Please write Education Building in the memo area
You may also want to sponsor a table or just come join us at the next Harvest Ball and have a delicious meal with an open bar, lots of fun and dancing.
Past results...
- Remodeled RMC Conference Room and Lobby
- Birthing Room Furnishings - Birthing bed, infant warmer, etc
- Hospital Signage
- Nurses’ Call System in conjunction with the Pink Ladies
- OR & ER Stretchers
- Floor Buffer
- 19 new TVs for patient rooms
- Refurbished Dining Room Chairs
- Oximeter for Respiratory
- Copy Machine for Nurses Station
- Remodeled room 203
- Carpet for Administration Office
- Newborn Shirts
- Wheelchairs
- Shelving units for Surgery
- Vacuum cleaner
- Misc. items for departments – printer covers, fans, floor mats
- New furniture for patient rooms – Recliner, high back chair, regular chair, bedside table, and over-bed table
- Dr. Raymond Thomas Memorial
- Contributed to the Kids Health Fair at RMC
- Signage for Geropsych
- Sponsored Little League team in 2000
- Refurbished IV Pumps
- Contrast warmer for X-ray
- Paper Shredder
- Shower heads for patients rooms
- New Mattress for Patient Beds
- 2 Pulse oximeters
- Rice Medical Associates Chair Scale
- Anesthesia Cart, 2 Med Carts & 2 ER Carts
- Birthing RoomLife Pack 12
- Lobby Furniture/Patient Room Chairs for East Bernard Clinic
- Contribute toward the Digital Mammography
- Whiteboards for Patient Rooms
- Cell Washer for Lab
- Physician/Baby Pictures for Hospital and both Clinics
- Lobby Furniture/ER Waiting Chairs at RMC - 2018
- Outdoor Dining Area and Patio
- New chairs, TV and Micro PC for the Conference Room
- Numerous other improvements to the patient experience and work environment
Scholarship Dollars awarded to date:
Harvest Ball Honorees
- 1996; No Honoree
- 1997; Dr. Raymond Russell Thomas, Sr.
- 1998; David (deceased) and Eula Winterman
- 1999; William Harrison, Sr.
- 2000; Steve Balas
- 2001; Mike V. Duarte
- 2002; Barbara Pidgeon
- 2003; Fred Frnka
- 2004; Robby Cook
- 2005; L.J. "Sonny" (deceased) and Charlyne Spanihel (deceased)
- 2006; Joe Lee McCreary
- 2007; Helen Farris
- 2008; Elfe Thomas
- 2009; Dr. Ronald Mahoney
- 2010; Joe Mike Spanihel
- 2011; Local Fire and Police Departments (911)
- 2012; Becky Anderson
- 2013; Joe Lee Perez (deceased)
- 2014; Fight Against Breast Cancer
- 2015; Dr. Raymond Russell Thomas, Jr.
- 2016; Fight Against Heart Disease
- 2017; Dan and Maryan Gertson
- 2018; Charles and Mickey Glueck
- 2019; The Lorease and Ed Priesmeyer Foundation
- 2020; RMCEV Education Building**
- 2021; Steve Balas (deceased)
- 2022; Lonnie Sommerlatte (deceased)
Harvest Ball Memories
Project Memories
Giving Tree of Life
RMC Employee Volunteers’ Giving Tree of Life enables individuals or businesses to memorialize or honor loved ones and colleagues, as well as, support renovation and/or equipment projects by donating to our charitable 
RMC Employee Volunteer organization.
The engraved leaves and stones on The Giving Tree of Life can be personalized up to 4 lines with 20 characters per line. Click image to the right for a PDF brochure.
For more information or to purchase a memorial, contact:
Shelley Thompson (979) 232-7027
Donation Levels
Leaf: $225
Small Stone: $500
Medium Stone: $1,000
Large Stone: $2,000
Diagnostic Imaging and Radiology Services include X-rays, Ultrasounds, CAT Scans, MRIs, Digital Mammograms and also perform special procedures that consist of biopsies, aspirations, thoracenthesis, paracenthesis, needle localization, barium procedures, arthrograms, myelograms, and some vascular studies.
