Thrilled to be celebrating the success of the WMH Foundation RED Campaign at the new WMH ED Ribbon Cutting on April 10 are its executive director and several members of the WMH Foundation, seated from left: WMH Foundation Board Members Dan Smith and Brenda Hayes, PhD.; standing in second row from left, Marilyn Hemmer, Kim Underwood, Mary Ann Woleben, Diana Holt, Rose Van Volkenburg, immediate past president; and standing in third row from left, WMH Foundation Executive Director Patricia Gaughan DiPalma, Linda Probst, Bob Rau and Robert Battaglin. Submitted photo

WESTFIELD — The Westfield Memorial Hospital Foundation raised an amazing $657,187 in support of the RED Campaign completing its most successful fundraising campaign ever.

“Proceeds from the 14 month long RED (Renovate our Emergency Department) Campaign go specifically to the renovation of the WMH Emergency Department,” stated Westfield Memorial Hospital Foundation President Kathryn Bronstein, PhD, RN. “This is an incredible achievement for Westfield Memorial Hospital and its foundation,” exclaimed Bronstein.

This highly anticipated Emergency Department Upgrade allows WMH to better accommodate its numerous patients, reduce wait times and continue to fulfill its mandate as an acute care hospital while providing faster, more efficient care in a better-designed and more comfortable environment.

One-hundred guests from the Chautauqua Region and beyond attended the ribbon-cutting celebration on April 10.

On hand to witness the notable event were dignitaries Sen. Cathy Young, Chautauqua County Executive George Borrello, Assemblyman Andy Goodell and members of Allegheny Health Network, Saint Vincent and Highmark. Members of the hospital, foundation and auxiliary boards, administration, medical staff and associates welcomed hospital foundation’s lead donors, community members and project contractors to the commemoration.

“We’re so proud to be celebrating the opening of the renovated WMH Emergency Department,” said Dr. Kathryn Bronstein, president of the WMH Foundation Board.

The modern design of the renovated ED signifies that WMH is on the cutting edge of care. The Emergency Department is really the ‘front door’ of the hospital. This renewed focus on both patient satisfaction and comfort will help create a facility that leaves a lasting and positive impression for years to come.

“The extraordinary efforts of so many people in our community helped make this project a reality as exemplified by the tremendous success of the RED Campaign. The foundation’s efforts are vital to helping us provide the very highest level of emergency care in a modern, comfortable and healing atmosphere,” said WMH Administrator Peter Pascale, RhP.

“We have four new state-of-the-art patient treatment areas to serve the community. We will also utilize the Split-Flow method designed to get the sickest patients seen quickly and to facilitate the care of less sick patients. In addition to the redesign and expansion of the ED waiting room, I’m happy to report, we also have a fully renovated and enhanced trauma room, a new physician consult room, new nursing/staff stations as well as two specialized patient intake chairs,” added Pascale.

Rose Van Volkenburg, immediate past president of the WMH Foundation who provided her leadership skills during the campaign’s run, also remarked: “I am humbled by the numerous individuals, businesses, foundations, churches, civic and service organizations, which helped the foundation to raise the pledged $650,000.”

WMH also received a NYS Rural Health Grant of $153,000 for the project, as well as support from Saint Vincent and AHN.

WMH Foundation Executive Director Patricia Gaughan DiPalma stated, “There are so many donors to thank. The WMH Foundation Board and I would like to acknowledge the following: all the individuals in our community who saw a great need and rose to the occasion, especially Hans and Barbara Bergstroms of Ripley, and Stockholm, Sweden who gave an astounding $100,000 after learning about the value of the Split-Flow Method in the new ED.

There are also many families to thank — like the Holt Family who gave $10,000 and the Meyers Family which collectively gave $20,000 in memory of Ralph C. Meyers. We are also thankful to two anonymous friends who gave $10,000 each.

It’s important to thank the community banks who saw the need and stepped forward. Lake Shore Savings Bank led the way with a gift of $50,000, the M&T Bank gave $10,000, while KeyBank Foundation gave $8,000 and Community Bank, N.A., pledged $7,500.

Recognition is also deserved by the many foundations that rose to the challenge. We would like to acknowledge the John R. Oishei Foundation’s extraordinary gift of $60,000 proving its continuing support of health care in WNY.

Significant gifts and pledges of $50,000 and $30,000 were given by The Carnahan-Jackson Foundation and the Northern Chautauqua Community Foundation respectively.

In addition, thanks go out to the Scott Electric Foundation which donated $20,000 and the Jess C. Wilson Foundation which gave $10,000 and the Chautauqua Region Community Foundation with an $8,000 gift.

We are grateful to the Robert and Janet Miller Family Foundation which gave $10,000 as well as a $10,000 matching challenge. The challenge was met, bringing their gift total to $20,000. It’s important to acknowledge anonymous friends of the Millers, who gave $5,000 when they learned of this challenge, pushing the goal thermometer outside the hospital to the top.

And many thanks go to Dr. Chris Clark, president of our parent hospital, Saint Vincent Hospital in Erie and the Allegheny Health Network, ensuring our community hospital remains viable.

We would like to thank our entire hospital family which includes Administrator Pete Pascale and his management team which worked around the clock to see this project to fruition as well as the Westfield Memorial Hospital, Foundation and Auxiliary boards, the esteemed medical staff and all the hospital associates which continue to provide their gifts of time and talent on a daily basis.

A resounding thank you goes to the rest of our individual donors who gave the needed balance to the RED Campaign. We are overwhelmed by your generosity,” said DiPalma.