NORWICH – Nov. 1 marks the start of Chenango Memorial Hospital Foundation’s annual campaign and this year’s focus is on the hospital’s expansion of primary care. Plans include adding physicians and services in its health centers located in Norwich, Oxford, Sherburne, and Sidney. In fact, Demetrios Gasparis, MD, recently joined the family practice in Oxford.
“As a business owner myself, I’m glad we have Chenango Memorial in our area,” said Gretchen Walsh of Peggy Parker Real Estate, campaign chair for the CMH Foundation. “Chenango Memorial, unlike many rural hospitals, offers a variety of services, eliminating the need to go somewhere else to receive basic care.” In addition to primary care, those services include lab, radiology, general surgery, orthopedics, cardiology, and women’s health.
The Chenango Memorial Hospital Foundation raises funds that the hospital uses to purchase equipment or expand services. Most recently the Foundation supported the hospital’s renovation of the third floor with gifts totaling $122,000. CMH has used other Foundation dollars to purchase equipment for radiology, the OR, the Heart Center and the nursing home among others. All totaled, the CMH Foundation has given over $400,000 to Chenango Memorial.
Tax deductible donations are invested and only the income is given to the hospital. This preserves the original gifts to continue to earn income in the future. Over time, these donations add up, which increases the amount of income earned. It’s this income that the Foundation gives to the hospital.
To participate, mail your check or pledge to the CMH Foundation, 179 North Broad Street, Norwich, NY 13815. You can contact the Foundation office directly at 337-4510 or by e-mail at cmh_foundation@uhs.org for other methods of giving.