To celebrate the annual Hillbilly Days festival, Pikeville Medical Center’s Buddy Bear dressed up in his finest denim overalls complete with patches and buttons and joined in the fun. He was able to make appearances, both downtown and inside the hospital, spreading joy everywhere he went. First, Buddy visited pediatric patients at the Mettu Children’s Hospital and personally delivered a toy or stuffed animal to each patient. On Saturday, Buddy Bear was spotted in downtown Pikeville helping Mountain Top Media staff judge the “cutest hillbilly” contest sponsored by the Mettu Children’s Hospital.
On Main Street, the PMC Recruitment Team manned a booth and distributed buttons, sunglasses and t-shirts, while talking about PMC’s great benefits, sign-on bonuses and open positions. In addition, employees from the Lawson Cancer Center conducted skin cancer screenings and gave out free sunscreen as a part of a grant from the Lexington Cancer Foundation. Kentucky Organ Donor Affiliates (KODA) also stopped by as well to share information with festival goers about organ donation and the mission of Donate Life KY.
“We are so thankful for the opportunities Hillbilly Days has given us,” said Kansas Justice, PMC Chief Operating Officer. “We love meeting people and educating them about health and wellness! This year, we enjoyed sharing information about the many career opportunities available at PMC.”
The annual Hillbilly Days festival returned in 2022 after being canceled for the past two years due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Held the third weekend in April each year, Hillbilly Days is one of the largest outdoor festivals in Kentucky, drawing more than 100,000 visitors over a three-day span.
