Lima Memorial president and CEO Mike Swick addresses Thursday night’s fundraiser at the Allen County Fairgrounds.
Jacob Espinosa | The Lima News
LIMA — Mike Swick said the Lima Memorial Foundation was hoping to raise $1.25 million at Thursday night’s “A Journey in Time” fundraiser.
The fundraiser took guests through the history of Lima Memorial Health System and held a live auction to celebrate the health provider’s 125th anniversary year and raise money to support healthcare programs, services and advanced technology.
“What we really like to focus on going into next year is what we need the funding for and how do we make it happen?” the Lima Memorial president and CEO said. “The neat thing is that we started this hospital 125 years ago by doing exactly what we’re doing tonight: fundraising. So we couldn’t have done it without the community then and we can’t do it without them now.”
Volunteer Mindi Wells shared stories of her own family’s involvement with Lima Memorial and what it has meant to them while introducing a live auction that included packages for sports experiences such as a Bengals-Browns football game.
“When our family is at Lima Memorial, we know we’re in good hands,” she said. “We are truly blessed by the exceptional care that we’ve received from our community’s locally-owned hospital and we take immense pride in its role in Lima. That is why we give back and encourage each and every one of you here tonight to give for the future of Lima Memorial.”
The history of the health system was on full display too.
“I was helpful in digging through some of our archives and actually looking at the photographs that have been blown up and put on display here,” foundation board chair Jan Hawk said. “To be able to talk to one of our nursing alums and have her be a part of this night has been such a treat, not only for her but also for our guests. We hear firsthand what it was like to have a nursing school right here in our community that was part of Lima Memorial and the history part was just a phenomenal way to connect with our community.”
Hawk shared some of the results of funds raised in previous years.
“Because of the philanthropy of the community, we’ve been able to update and create a new in-patient rehabilitation center that’s state of the art,” she said. “We’ve also created a new in-patient dialysis center that is providing treatment for our patients right in the hospital. We’ve also established a chronic disease management program that has brought together all different disciplines and enabled our patients to receive the care they need from multiple different physicians that has made their lives a lot easier.”
One hundred percent of all gifts made to the foundation stays within the community.
Reach Jacob Espinosa at 567-242-0399.
