Pulse

UNIVERSITY OF UTAH HEALTH SCIENCES CENTER March 29, 1991 The Hostess Helper: Ding Dong Bunnies Aid Patient Care What started out as a means of helping the Bartholomew boys get to scout camp h a s now become a serious fund- raiser for the rehabilitation program at University of Utah Hospital. And it's all about Easter and Ding Dongs and homemade bunny rabbits. Twenty- eight years ago, Celia Bartholomew of Rose Park needed a small fund- raiser to help her sons get to summer scout camp. She and her neighbors began playing around with some Easter craft ideas and found that Hostess Ding Dongs made for perfect bunny rabbit faces. Her market-ing savvy proved right on target, when sales of the bunnies proliferated like rabbits with each pass-ing year. After her children were grown, she thought her days of painting faces on Ding Dongs, twisting ears out of chenille and selling the Easter creations were behind her. But her family vetoed that idea. The Ding Dong bunnies had become entrenched too deeply in the Bartholomew family's Easter traditions. And the Bartholomews decided the proceeds from the spring confectionary project could go to charity. About 12 years ago, the family linked up with the McKay- Dee Founda-tion in Ogden and donated the bunny funds to the Hansen twins and their continuing therapy needs. Now the family is giving the money to U Hospital's rehabilitation unit, where Celia has undergone therapy for the past four years following a n industrial accident. Last year, the Bartholomews donated $ 6,810 from sales of the bunnies, which go for $ 1 apiece. That's more t h a n 10,000 Ding Dongs and a lot of hours at the kitchen table. Each year several weeks before Easter, the Bartholomews' home is transformed into a rabbit warren. But beginning in February, mom buys all the supplies from outlets across the country and starts twisting the ears and assembling the other parts. Through trial and practice, she's found out which sticks, ribbon, icing and plastic wrap work best. Using a drill and a tomato juice can, Mr. Bartholomew has devised a machine that cuts the ribbon into perfect lengths. One son has arranged with a local store to get used beverage boxes for storing the rabbits. And homemade shelves in the living and dining rooms attest to the productivity of this family. " It's definitely a family project," says Celia. Children, grandchildren and neighbors all drop by to help. Celia's 5- year- old granddaughter, Leilani, was delighted this year when she learned how to tie the ribbons around the bunnies' necks. " It's been for a good cause. It's taught my family to be more compassionate," Celia says. A Doctors' Day Thank- you to UH's Physicians! Recycle Your Toys Child- life specialists on University Hospital's pediatrics unit are looking for toys and games ( in good shape) for patient use. The unit's wish list includes Fisher Price People, Ambi infant toys, Johnson and Johnson toys, play telephones, Transformers, UNO cards, infant walker. Matchbox cars, board games, craft kits, T- shirt fabric pens, stickers, models, Nintendo games, tape record-ers and tapes, color television set, VCR, Polaroid film and camera and a Foos Ball table. If you have something to donate, contact Laura Gaynard, x 1- 4671. Calendar • The U School of Medicine College Council will meet Tuesday, April 2, 4 p. m., in the auditorium of the Eccles Institute of Human Genetics. • An organizing meeting for the Medical Center's annual softball league is set for Wednesday, April 10, noon, in Room 202 Medical Educa-tion Building. Coaches or team representatives are encouraged to attend. New teams also are welcome! For more informa-tion, call Dennis Oyler, xl- 7443. • An HIV Counsel-ing course, taught by Centers for Disease Control trainers, is set for Thursday, May 2. UH h a s reserved 10 spaces for stalf. If interested, call Louise Eutropius, R. N., Hospital Epidemiology, x5- 3124, by April 2. Commercial Exhibitors InfoFair- the U of U Health Sciences Center's annual event aimed at providing up- to- date information on computer applications, resources and services- is slated for Thurs-day, April 4. The theme of this year's fair is " Connections for the ' 90s." The fair features morning speakers, afternoon workshops and exhibitors. This year's exhibitors in- Return to InfoFair elude Apple, CyberSoft, Davis Audio- Visual, Grid, IBM, Kyocera, Sun Microsystems, UpJohn, Creative Ink and Microcenter, in addition to a number of U of U services. The exhibits will be open from 11: 30 a. m.- 4: 30 p. m. on the lower level of the Eccles Li-brary. For more information about InfoFair events, call Joan Marcotte, xl- 5534. Healthy Eating on the Run Takes Planning Today's hectic lifestyle has turned snacks into meals, the family dinner into a special occasion and eating on the run into a n everyday occurrence. This March, during National Nutrition Month, the American Dietetic Association and UH's dietitians would like to remind you that nutritious eating can be part of a busy day. Healthy snacks can provide good nutrition when you r u n out of time for a sit- down meal. Planning for healthy snacks means stocking your kitchen with quick snack foods that offer a nutrient- rich variety of choices- low- fat yogurt, fruit, cut vegetables, dry cereal, bagels and whole grain crack-ers. To obtain more information on healthy eating on the run, talk to a registered dietitian. Bel Randall, UH Personnel, was one of dozens of health sci-ences employees who staffed booths at the recent high school Health Careers Day at Murray High. According to Frances Gay, president of the Salt Lake County Medical Society Auxiliary which spon-sors the event, feed-back from the teach-ers and students who attended was ex-tremely positive. The Health Sci-ences Center exhib-itors continue to be the shining stars. My deepest appreciation to the faculty and staff who partici-pated," Gay said.