Hillcrest Hospital Basket Raffle Benefits American Heart Association

will have its third annual basket raffle next week to benefit the American Heart Association. Hospital employees donated items, which include air travel and a night on the town.

Lorena Hewitt, manager of Cardiopulmonary Services, said her department has prepared a gift basket of "all sorts of grilling and chilling things" and is worth more than $700. The raffle will feature from 15 to 20 baskets. Tickets are $1 each or six for $5.

She said employees want to participate in the event because 100 percent of the proceeds goes to the American Heart Association.

"What we raise does help with research for heart disease and strokes. Heart disease is the number one cause of death and stroke is number three," she said.

Basket raffle hours are from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. Monday, Wednesday and Friday and 8 a.m. to 7 p.m. Tuesday and Thursday in the atrium.

Hillcrest Hospital's goal is to raise $30,000. Hewitt said other Cleveland Clinic hospitals are also hosting fundraisers, with a systemwide goal of $300,000.