PRESS RELEASE: A SANTA SIGHTING … IN APRIL?

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:
April 19, 2006

MEDIA - FOR MORE INFORMATION:
Deborah Perry Phone (361) 442-4538
www.driscollchildrens.org

A SANTA SIGHTING … IN APRIL?

JOLLY OL’ SAINT NICK VISITS DRISCOLL KIDS,
GIFTING ART SUPPLIES TO LAUNCH ’06 CARD ART CONTEST

Tuesday, April 18 at 10:30 a.m.
Driscoll Children’s Hospital
3533 S. Alameda St., Corpus Christi, Texas

(Corpus Christi, TX) April typically finds the Easter bunny lurking around, but Santa Claus and his elves will be visiting Driscoll Children’s Hospital kids this Spring on Tuesday, April 18 at 10:30 a.m. to help launch the 2006 Card Art Contest. He will be giving away art supplies including paint, brushes, crayons, markers, and paper to get the youngster’s creative juices going and the 2006 card art contest entries started. Since 1991, Driscoll patients have created original, colorful, and imaginative artwork providing an artistic outlet of self-expression while staying at the hospital which was then used for the card contest. To date, the long-standing program has raised over $100,000 for patient programs and scholarships. Deadline for artwork submissions is June 1, 2006.

Driscoll’s 2006 Card Art Contest is open to all current and past patients as well as their siblings, both visiting any in-patient and out-patient clinics. Parents are allowed to assist with art work creation. Art suggestions include, but are not limited to:

• Traditional end-of-year holiday images: Santa Claus, Christmas trees, reindeers, mangers, stockings, snowmen, menorahs, wreaths, snowman, snowflakes, angels, presents, and poinsettias.
• Unique South Texas holiday images: Santa with a sombrero or cactus decorated as a Christmas tree with a Santa hat.
• Texas theme: stars, boots, hats, oil rigs/wells, longhorn cattle, Texas flag, and Texas state map.
• Marine theme: star fish, colorful fish, dolphins, underwater scenes, kelp, beach, shells, palm trees, and coastal Texas.
• Other calendar months – Valentine’s Day (hearts, love, puppy love, love words spelled out), St. Patrick’s Day (shamrocks, luck, gold, leprechauns), Easter (colored eggs, bunnies, butterflies) July 4th (patriotic, freedom images)

Entry forms and contest criteria can be picked up at Driscoll Children’s Hospital’s Information Desk in the main lobby or be viewed at www.driscollchildrens.org. Criteria include:

• Art work can be created while visiting the hospital or at home (parents may assist).
• Signed entry form and release must accompany each picture for it to be considered.
• Patients or siblings may enter as many times as desired.
• There will be no acknowledgement of receipt unless picture is chosen as a winner.
• Please staple the signed “Participation and Photo/Media Release” to the artwork.
• Artwork entries become property of Driscoll Children’s Hospital.
• Drop off entries to Driscoll’s Information Desk in the main lobby, or mail to: Driscoll Children’s Hospital, Attn: Marketing Department, 3533 S. Alameda Ave., Corpus Christi, TX 78411

Artists are allowed to use:

• Watercolor, acrylic, or finger paint
• Crayons or markers
• Collage using scissors, color papers, or glue
• Paper (white and unlined)

Winners will receive:

• Five (5) packets of their cards to share with family and friends
• A winning certificate
• A $20 gift certificate to Toys `R’ Us
• The opportunity to participate in media interviews and promotional events

Driscoll Children's Hospital Logo
About Driscoll Children’s Hospital
“Improve the health of adults and you give them back their health …
Improve the health of children and you give them their life.”

Since opening its doors in 1953, Driscoll Children’s Hospital has been offering hope and healing to the children of South Texas for half a century. The facility is a 189-bed pediatric tertiary care center with pediatric board-certified specialists representing 19 medical and nine surgical specialties. Each year, more than 6,000 children are admitted for inpatient care, 5,000 for day surgery, and 50,000 for outpatient primary and specialty care, as well as 40,000 for emergency care, as the first South Texas hospital with emergency services exclusively for children. Additionally, Driscoll maintains a state-of-the-art ground/air transport team, 20-bed pediatric intensive care unit, 40-bed neonatal intensive care unit, and specialized medical outreach.

www.driscollchildrens.org

# # #