MP Hy-Vee pharmacy ‘paying it forward’ with 4-day event

Hy-Vee pharmacists are 'paying it forward” with a four-day community event next week where they will decorate gingerbread cookies with nursing home residents, donate food to a needy family and bring holiday cheer with a customer appreciation day.

Hy-Vee Pharmacy manager Danielle Scott at the Hy-Vee on 1700 E. Washington Street in Mt. Pleasant was looking for a way to give back for the holidays when she came up with the idea to host a four-day event to 'honor” people in the community, she said.

'I just really feel the bottom dollar gets in the way sometimes,” Scott said. 'Why I became a pharmacist was to be compassionate … I always wanted to make a difference.”

Anyone is welcome to participate or lend their support to the holiday 'pay it forward” event that kicks off Monday, Dec. 17, with gingerbread cookie decorating at Arbor Court retirement home in Mt. Pleasant at 2:30 p.m.

Third grade students at Harlan Elementary School will be doing a scavenger hunt in Hy-Vee on Tuesday, Dec. 18, from 9 to 10:30 a.m. to collect food items for a family of six. The cost of the items is being split between Hy-Vee and Scott herself. The family was selected by the Fellowship Cup.

'I think it's a wonderful idea,” said Jane Kinney, third-grade teacher at Harlan Elementary School. 'It will mean a lot to the kids to realize there's people in this world not as fortunate as they are, and they can do little things to pay it forward.”

Kinney said that hopefully this will teach the students empathy and that there are ways to help people through volunteering.

Both Kinney's and Kim Sherwood's third-grade classes will be participating in the scavenger hunt.

Christina Cook, a Hy-Vee pharmacy technician, is planning the scavenger hunt Tuesday. Each pharmacist chose one day to plan. Cook chose Tuesday because it's her birthday.

She is working on putting together a 'Home Alone” theme for the scavenger hunt, including clues such as 'You put marshmallows on top of this wintry drink to help your body get warm,” Cook said.

'It's a great time of year to do it. I think there's still something magical about Christmas and this ‘pay it forward' event brings back some of that spirit,” Cook said.

Wednesday, Dec. 19, about 15 Mt. Pleasant Middle School students who are a part of the 'Gilmore Givers” club will be decorating crafts to give to residents at Savannah Heights in Mt. Pleasant from 9 to 10:45 a.m. There may also be Christmas caroling, Scott said.

The Gilmore Givers frequently volunteer around various areas of the community such as nursing homes or cleaning up local parks, Mt. Pleasant Middle School Principal Nate Lange said.

'We were happy to partner with Hy-Vee and (the Gilmore Givers) have been doing a wonderful job and be a part of something bigger than themselves,” Lange said. 'I just think that whole mind-set of living for something bigger than yourself is very important.”

'Pay it forward” will culminate in an all-day customer appreciation day on Thursday, Dec. 20.

Pharmacists will be decorating the pharmacy as 'Whoville,” and the staff will be dressed up as characters from the Grinch movie, Scott said. There will be cocoa, coffee, snacks and giveaways throughout the day.

Scott said that customers frequently thank the pharmacy department by giving small gifts of flowers or chocolates. It always means a lot and she wanted to do the same for her customers.

Lori Mendenhall is the Hy-Vee pharmacist technician organizing the customer appreciation day.

Hy-Vee Pharmacy is also holding a silent auction for a holiday tree and wooden reindeer that is currently on display in front of the pharmacy. The silent auction is open now and will close on Tuesday, Dec. 18, around 10 a.m. The proceeds from the silent auction will be donated to people in need, Scott said.