The Texas County Memorial Hospital Healthcare Foundation held a lunch on Friday and recognized hospital employee donors that have fulfilled or are close to fulfilling pledges as members of the “TCMH Futures Team”. TCMH Futures Team members, past and present hospital employees, are responsible for donating $410,000 to the Healthcare Foundation’s capital campaign efforts over the past five years.
Sixty-three current hospital employees were members of the TCMH Futures Team receiving recognition. Twenty-seven more recently hired employees have made pledges to the Healthcare Foundation as part of the 5N5 program that will continue beyond this spring. Those members will be recognized in the future.
In 2012, Jay Gentry, TCMH Healthcare Foundation president, and members of the Healthcare Foundation board of directors, rolled out a “5N5” donor campaign asking employees to pledge donations to the “Care for Your Future” capital campaign over five years or less. Over 100 employees made one-time donations or pledged regular donations through payroll or paid time off deductions.
“We had people drop out of the program over time because they left TCMH due to retirement or job changes, and we picked up new employee members along the way, too,” Gentry said.
Gentry explained that many employees that were part of the 5N5 program have continued to give to the Healthcare Foundation even after their pledge period ended.
Wes Murray, TCMH chief executive officer, cites a “giving culture” at TCMH.
“Whether it’s giving to help out an employee in a crisis situation or giving to help out a local organization such as Ozark Action or the Texas County Food Pantry, TCMH employees set the bar for giving,” Murray said.
Murray noted that employee interest in improving the hospital’s infrastructure and growing primary care services is strong.
“Our employees believe in and want to see new patient care areas throughout the hospital,” Murray said.
There are several employees at TCMH that are second and third generation employees that work at the hospital.
“Many of our employees view TCMH as a place where their children may work someday, and they definitely believe the hospital will care for them and their families in the future,” Murray said.
“Our employees know that TCMH is dedicated to the patients, the employees and the communities we serve,” Murray said, adding, “And the employees are proud to reciprocate that dedication by stepping up and committing to building for our community’s future healthcare and employment needs.”
In addition to the lunch for the employee donors, the Healthcare Foundation is honoring the employees that fulfilled their pledge with an engraved brick as part of the brick paver project currently underway by the Healthcare Foundation.
“These employees have made a lasting gift to their hospital. We want to honor them in a way that is remembered for many years, too,” Gentry said.
Gentry explained that additional signage inside the department will recognize donors in the new surgery area when it is complete.
Twenty-six employees, past and present, have given $3,000 or more, earning them a spot on the Healthcare Foundation’s Tree of Life, a donor recognition tree located in a main lobby of the hospital.
The surgery department shell at TCMH has been completed, but interior work—operating rooms, recovery rooms, a waiting area, staff dressing rooms, and other related spaces are currently in the process of being built. TCMH has donations from private donors, tax credits and a grant from the Delta Region Authority to help with the project, but funds are still being raised for specialized equipment the department will need.
“Several of the 5N5 employee donor partners have continued to give to the Foundation, requesting that funds go toward the construction and equipment needs for the surgery department,” Gentry said.
Gentry added, “Many employees do not want the construction at TCMH to stop until the hospital reaches its ultimate goal of having all new patient care areas.”
Once the surgery department is complete, TCMH plans to renovate the original surgery area and the intensive care unit and obstetrics department to give both departments more patient space.
The Healthcare Foundation continues to accept private donations and seek grant funding for capital improvements at the hospital.
For additional information about the TCMH Healthcare Foundation, contact Gentry at jgentry@tcmh.org or 1-866-967-3311.
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For additional information, contact:
Joleen Senter Durham, Director of Public Relations/Marketing
Texas County Memorial Hospital
Phone: 417/967-1258
Fax: 417/967-1291
joleen@tcmh.org