Please allow me to
begin by welcoming Bruce Bachman, Al Cassidy, Sam Killebrew, Bud
Strang, Lynn Oakley and Brian Swain to the Mid-Florida Medical
Services Foundation Board of Trustees. These highly respected
business and community leaders join Don Ingram, J.M. Nolen Sr.,
Charles McPherson, Bill Burns, Jay Gray Jr., Sam Hart, Ron Morrow,
Steve Saterbo and Larry Tucker as Foundation Trustees. I would
also like to acknowledge the Ex-Officio members of the Foundation
board as well, MFMS/WHH Pres./CEO, Lance Anastasio, CFO Dave MacDougall,
Corporate Counsel, John Parman and Foundation Executive, Joel
Thomas. Together I believe this group represents one of the most
capable and engaged boards in central Florida. I am proud to serve
as Chairman representing this energetic and talented group. Together
we are committed to accomplish the mission of the Foundation,
which is to provide philanthropic resources for East Polk's major
medical center - Winter Haven Hospital.
On a most important note, I'm pleased to announce
that Mr. Guy Bostick has made a major gift to the Foundation.
We will be telling you much more about the impact of this marvelous
gift in the months to come. In the meantime, on behalf of the
board, I wish to thank Mr. Bostick for his investment in our organization.
We also express our thanks to Foundation Trustee larry Tucker,
President/CEO Lance Anastasio and Dr. Edgar Willard who helped
facilitate Mr. Bostick's legacy gift for our organization and
community.
Foundation Trustees also extend their thanks
to Mrs. William H. Fuller who recently conveyed her estate esidence
to the Foundation. Mrs. Fuller's gift represents an amazingly
generous action on her part and one that will significantly benefit
the Foundation's ability to provide major support to the Winter
Haven Hospital in the coming years.
It has been a very busy Winter and Spring
for the Foundation working with our friends and constituents.
To this extent I wish to thank the Winter Haven Hospital Auxiliary
who continues to support our not-for-profit health service organization
not only with their hearts, but with their $500,000.00 pledge
to complete the new Winter Haven Hospital main lobby. Adding to
their generosity Auxiliary President Diane Adams recently announced
their pledge to establish the permanently endowed Winter Haven
Hospital Auxiliary Healthcare Scholarship Fund. The new Auxiliary
fund joins the Rynerson Family and Acker Familiy endowed scholarship
funds. When totaled these combined funds in conjunction with cholarship
dollars raised from several previous Fall Gala's brings the Foundation
scholarship endowment to nearly $400,000.00. These funds have
already assisted many local students with their educational endeavors.
Through Foundation friends generous donation these funds are now
structured to benefit students who wish to become healthcare professional
and establish their careers at Winter Haven Hospital long into
the future.
The Foundation's Annual Fund Campaign which
raises unrestricted financial resources for the most urgent and
current needs of Winter Haven Hospital continues to grow. Particular
thanks for this accomplishment goes to Mr. and Mrs. Hugh Lowenstein
and Mr. Ben Hill Griffin III for their continuing philanthropic
leadership in the Annual Fund. In addition to these philanthropic
leaders involvement many new friends are linking up with the Annunal
Fund as a personal way to immediately impact healcare in East
Polk. Since its inception to date the Annual Fund has raised over
$300,000.00 for the patients we care for.
Augmenting the Annual Fund with even more
unrestricted resources is the Colorado Boxed Beef, R.D. Saterbo
Memorial Golf Tournament which in its second year of affiliation
with the Foundation was recently held at the exclusive Mountain
Lake Golf Club. Under the leadership and direction of Steve, Bryan,
John and Rich Saterbo, this years tournament players and sponsors
rasied over $70,000.00. Thanks, again, goes to the Saterbo Family
and to Trustee Bill Burns and the Mountain Lake community for
making this great initiative a reality.
The Foundation Fall Gala planning committee
headed up by Foundation Trustees, Larry Tucker, Sam Killebrew
and Lynn Oakley have set this year's Gala date for Tuesday, November
15th at Nora Mayo Hall. Please mark your calendar, this should
prove to be another fun filled and entertaining evening for a
good cause. All proceeds go to help support Winter Haven Hospital's
new Heart Center
To those of you who want to help make a difference
in the quality of life we all enjoy in East Polk, I ask you to
call the Foundation today at 863-291-6732 and find out how you
can become a part of taking local healthcare to the next level
of excellence.
