Photo: The newly formed Stewart Memorial Community Hospital Foundation board members are: (left to right) Seth McCaulley, Heather Cain, Chuck Schmitt, Mary Ludwig, Amy Schumacher, Jo Grodahl, Faye Huster, and Marcie Boerner. Missing from the photo is Marci Duncan.
Stewart Memorial Community Hospital held the first board of directors meeting last week for the newly launched SMCH Foundation. Mary Ludwig, director of marketing, development and volunteers, said this first meeting served as an orientation for new board members as well as an opportunity to learn about each other. The next meetings will establish policy and begin planning for the future of the foundation. Board members Seth McCaulley, Chuck Schmitt, Amy Schumacher, Fay Huster, Marcie Boerner, Heather Cain, Mary Ludwig and Jo Grodahl were selected through an application process that started last summer. They were chosen to bring different strengths as well as representation from the communities SMCH serves to the table. The board will work collaboratively with the SMCH Auxiliary, augmenting their fundraising events with annual campaigns and planned giving. Stewart Memorial CEO, Heather Cain, said the need for community support arises from a variety of factors. Declining reimbursements may lead to negative operating margins for some hospitals and capital investments in patient care can exceed budgets. SMCH does not garner support in the form of taxes from the communities they serve, she said, so the foundation will allow them to accomplish their mission of providing quality health and wellness to patients and their families by reinvesting in the organization.
