CMH Foundation Auxiliary Board plans for 2010; new board and officers installed 

      The CMH Foundation Auxiliary opened the 2010 business year with its annual retreat for newly elected officers and board members on Wednesday, Jan. 13, at Damon’s Grill. Officers and board members used the retreat to wrap up 2009 and begin planning for special events for 2010 to benefit the patients of CMH Regional Health System, including Clinton Memorial Hospital and the Foster J. Boyd, MD, Regional Cancer Center.

      The CMH Foundation Auxiliary raised more than $57,000 for CMH Regional Health System in 2009 with the annual gala and golf outing signature events along with book and jewelry sales, and angel tribute. The auxiliary, a volunteer organization formed in 1952 to benefit Clinton Memorial Hospital, has raised more than $2 million in the last half century.

      The 2010 officers and board were sworn in by past president Charlyn Kruszka. The new officers are president Joann Chamberlin of Midland, vice president Carole Nichols, secretary Sandy Pidgeon, and treasurer Ann Johnson, all of Wilmington. Board members are Lou Ann Arnold, Daphne Blackburn, Sandy Briggs, Debra Carey, Doris Conley, Cari Middleton, Barbara Multon, Patricia Richardson, Marilyn Rollwage and Claire Ropp.

      The four new board members - Middleton, Multon, Richardson and Ropp - were welcomed by Chamberlin.

      Guest speakers for the retreat were CMH interim president and chief executive officer Dr. Michael Choo, CMH vice president and general counsel Laura Martin and CMH community development director Dana Dunn.

      Dr. Choo gave an overview of the process involved in the potential sale and transition for the hospital. He spoke about the need to have the resources to be able to recruit doctors, enhance and grow service lines and to do capital improvements at the hospital. There was additional discussion about the desire to keep the hospital’s local identity as well as continue the community outreach and collaboration that has been tradition over the 59-year history.

      Martin spoke about the potential for a conversion foundation in the event the RFP results in a transaction whereby CMH becomes a for-profit entity. In the event of such a conversion, the converted foundation would not be affiliated with the for-profit CMH. Dunn also spoke about the benefits such a foundation could bring to the health of the community.

      Numerous questions were answered by the panel and the auxiliary members expressed appreciation for being informed on this important transition.

      The general business of the Auxiliary was conducted and the upcoming 2010 events were announced, including three book sales, two jewelry sales, the golf outing, the annual ball and angel tribute.

      Connie Mason, chair of the ball design committee, gave a presentation on the decor for the ball which she said will be elegant and will tie in with Wilmington and Clinton County’s bicentennial celebration.

      There will be a historical dance presentation at the ball and couples are being recruited to be part of the performance. Michael and Rebecca Cooper will be instructing the group on Sunday afternoons beginning Jan. 24. Laura Curliss has organized the historical dance presentation and may be contacted at 513- 600-7171.

      Jennifer Hollon has put together photo displays for the ball using pictures from Clinton County’s historical past. The pictures are from the collection of the late Dr. Richard Bath, Hollon’s father, as well as from the CMH archives held by the CMH Health Library.

      In keeping with the historical them for the retreat, auxiliary officers, along with immediate past president Charlyn Kruszka and Carol Sebert, volunteer services and auxiliary manager for CMH, resurrected an auxiliary tradition from the early 1960’s which involved making fruitcakes and selling them to raise money for the hospital.

      The fruitcakes were made at Chamberlin’s home and were given as gifts to auxiliary board members and guests. The fruitcake came from a recipe of Miss Elsie Delin, the original administrator of Clinton Memorial Hospital in 1951.

      The recipe and many others are included in the auxiliary cookbook, “Delicious Memories” available through auxiliary members as well as other area locations, including the CMH Health Library.

      An additional highlight of the 2010 board retreat was that each officer, board member and guest was given a small bendable figure with their picture on it. These were given as a reminder that everyone needs to be flexible in 2010 as the hospital transition period progresses.

      The next regular CM Foundation Auxiliary Board meeting will be April 6. Auxiliary general meeting dates are January 26, April 20, July 27 and October 19. Anyone interested in joining the auxiliary or coming as a guest to the general meeting, please contact Carol Sebert, at 382-9224.  

CMH Foundation Auxiliary Events 2010

• Book sales:

• March 25 and26

• June 15 and 16

• December 15 and16

• $5 Jewelry sales:

• April 14,15 and 16

• November 28, 29 and 30.

• Golf Classic will be held at Snow Hill Country Club on Monday, July 12.

• Ball will be Saturday, May 1.

• Angel Tribute to be held in December.