The Elves
VMTH newsletter members who still participate annually include Marcia Nelson, Becky Griffey, Ester Finn, Candi Stafford, Deborah Nelson, Cindy Lewis, and Eileen Samitz. Becky Griffey was the coordinator for the first four years and Eileen Samitz has been the coordinator for the last six years. These pet basket "elves" were eventually joined by other helpers, including Marion Derby, Stacey Peters Zindel and her daughter Hannah, Judy Wall, Marcia Reemts, Monica Kratochvil, Diane Nayden, Marty Ynostroza, Xavier Mancilla, Steve Garcia, and Matt Nichols.
We were fortunate enough this year to have the perfect gift size boxes donated by Lynn Christianson of PDQ in Davis. We are very grateful to Dawn Cauthen of the VMTH nutrition service for handling the ordering and the important delivery timing of getting over 500 pounds of food from Hills/Science Diet to us in time to put in the holiday pet baskets. We are also grateful to VMTH Financial Services staff member Deborah Nelson for the great job she did handling the account for the financial donations that we received, and Lynn Narlesky and Pat Bailey of the vet school Dean's Office, for helping us coordinate with the media to share with this event with the public.
The veterinary student "elves" this year (who are also regular volunteers at the monthly Mercer Vet Clinic) include Mercer student volunteers Todd Kelman, Kim Dean, Justine Walker, Edward Fang, Val Welch, Brian Jones, JJ Louie, Heather Hughes, Evelyn Sagastume, Casey DeCino, Jessica Kurek, Laura Dennis, Beth Kissack, Kristy Cortright and Lisa Franck.
