Lou Adele May is widely known as someone who gets things done.
Luckily, for CHRISTUS Spohn Health System, she has served in multiple roles with the CHRISTUS Spohn Foundation, helping promote awareness of the need for top-notch health care across South Texas.
Lou Adele, who has served as chairwoman of the Foundation board and is a current emeritus board member, has a knack for helping bring people of diverse backgrounds together for a good cause.
Lou Adele May (right) and Jessica Morrill at Beeville Ladies Night Out.
“I was a school board president for 15 years and I met Patty Mueller (longtime CHRISTUS Spohn supporter) through my associations down here. She and I got to be friends and she said she thought I could provide leadership through the Foundation board, so that’s how I got started, and I really enjoyed it,” says May. “I’d sit through those meetings and think ‘there’s something we ought to be doing to raise money for the hospital.’ So I got a committee together with many different men and women, some young and some old, and we started brainstorming about how we could best serve the hospital.”
One cause that’s near and dear to her heart is ensuring that CHRISTUS Spohn Hospital-Beeville remains a community asset, which is precisely how Beeville Ladies Night Out came about.
“The idea of Mardi Gras came up we and we thought ‘that’s something you can put on anywhere.’ So we started talking and there were lots of events for men, but there was nothing just for women. And then we thought, ‘Why don’t we just do an event only for women?’ So we got together a bunch of vendors and had it the first year at First National Bank, and everyone just really enjoyed it.
“We’ve had some really great committees full of people who are talented and know how to get things done, so it’s been a wonderful thing. We moved it around to a few different venues since we got so big and finally we ended up at the Expo Center. We’ve had all kinds of vendors through the years and I know that a lot of people look forward to the event all year. It’s really just a good reason to get together and celebrate with people who are making a difference.”
Beeville Ladies Night Out includes a Cajun cuisine dinner, silent auction, raffle and shopping with dozens of vendors selling a variety of wares including jewelry, clothes, home accessories, cosmetics, skincare, artwork and other unique gifts. The event has raised more than $250,000 for CHRISTUS Spohn-Beeville, helping fund improvements and advancements to the emergency department, women’s services and a host of other programs that serve the surrounding community.
At the end of the day, Lou Adele is most appreciative of living in a tight-knit community where people look out for one another and are willing to lend a hand at the drop of a hat.
“I love Beeville and I love South Texas,” says May. “It’s a great place to call home.”
Beeville Ladies Night Out, held annually on Fat Tuesday at the Bee County Expo Center, includes a Cajun cuisine dinner, silent auction, raffle and shopping with dozens of vendors selling a variety of wares including jewelry, clothes, home accessories, cosmetics, skincare, artwork and other unique gifts.
Click here to view in 2015 Annual Report.
Posted on June 25, 2016