Lorri Adams

Lorri Adams

Saturday, 02 December 2017 14:41

Foundation Activity Report

Saturday, 02 December 2017 14:33

Donation Processing Flowchart

Friday, 01 December 2017 14:46

Topping Out Party

Coming September 14th! As medical providers, staff, donors, community members, and volunteers look on, the last steel beam will be hoisted into place on the new addition of Clay County Medical Center. McCownGordon Construction invited all of their subcontractors to the event and treated them to a lunch prior to the event. The Topping-Out Party celebrates the workers who have erected the building’s steel framework.

The Topping-Out Party also marks a major milestone for Clay County Medical Center. It symbolizes the completion of the structural phase of the building, which remains on schedule to receive its first patients in April 2018.

The steel beam will be placed by the front entrance of the current hospital where patients, visitors, hospital/clinic staff, and construction crew workers will sign their names and share their sentiments. “This building and renovation project represents our new approach to health care, not just in design but, in the patient experience,” said Austin Gillard, CEO of Clay County Medical Center. “We are providing a facility where patients will continue to receive exceptional healthcare, whether they need diagnostic services, outpatient infusion services, surgery, hospitalization, or rehab. When the building opens its doors, patients will have access to more services than ever before.”

The new 28,000-square-foot hospital addition will include:

  • In-room Showers & Individual Temperature Controls
  • Three New, Larger, and Comfortable Birthing Suites
  • Two Orthopedic Sized Surgical Suites with Expandable Capabilities
  • Canopy for Sheltered Pick-up and Drop-off of patients
  • Private Admission Bays with Comfortable Seating in all Waiting Areas
  • Renovation of existing space to accommodate our growing Specialty Clinic and Urgent Care Department
  • Expansion and renovation of the Emergency Department, Lab and Imaging areas

Topping-Out History

Before steel and multi-million dollar jobs dominated the construction landscape of the 20th and 21st centuries, the tradition of recognizing building milestones started small. The history of the topping-out ceremony seems to have humble beginnings in Scandinavian cultures, but the events evolved as construction and societies changed over time.

In the states, the concept continues predominantly on high steel jobs or large-scale projects. Ironworkers are credited with giving the topping-out ceremony its name to highlight the moment the last piece of steel or structure is put in place. It’s become a tradition with many construction companies. The topping-out ceremony is a builders’ rite traditionally held when the last beam is placed atop a structure during its construction.

Several volunteers have joined Clay County Foundation board members in accepting positions on the Campaign Committee. Pictured in group photo are - Front Row: Renee Langvardt, Laura Schwartz, Marion Stuart, Sandy Fox, Walt Slingsby, Grace Oetinger; Middle Row: Clyde Wollenberg, Steve McMahan, Neva Anderson, Terri Parry, Josie Walker, Garry Stenzel; Back Row: Mike Floersch, Marcia Newell, Bryant Johnson, Scott Patterson, Austin Gillard, Gary Griffiths, Preston Rook, Maury Catlin; Not pictured: Kyle Bauer, Dwight Ferguson, Jerry Mayo, Dustin Mullin, Ron Roth, Mike Ryan.

The bond issue approved by the voters on August 2nd provided the funding for $16 million of new construction but the hospital board and administration chose to cover the cost of furniture, fixtures and equipment through the conduct of a Capital Campaign. The newly formed Campaign Committee has accepted the responsibility for raising the $2 million necessary to adequately furnish the new areas and some of the existing areas which will be renovated.

Medical Center CEO Austin Gillard explained that it didn’t make financial sense to include the $2 million in the bond. “There were a couple of considerations” , he said, “the first being that in the event the bond payments go to full term, we would be paying interest on fixtures and equipment that had ceased to exist perhaps 10, 20 or 25 years before the pay-off. The second is the additional $2 million in bonding could have changed the way potential investors would look at the bond offering”.

Clay County Medical Center | News Gillard, who came to the facility in May of 2015, reported the recent bond offering was bought out in about three hours. It was obviously seen as an investor opportunity because of the strength of recent financial reports and a positive analysis of future performance, some of which was a direct reflection of the new and expanded services provided by the construction and renovation.

Clay County Hospital Foundation Chair Mike Floersch said the non-profit organization has been preparing to launch a campaign since long before the vote on the bonds. “We were kept informed of the work being done by the hospital’s Board of Trustees and we knew we needed to be in a position to move forward if the bonds were approved by the voters. Our early capital campaign feasibility work was capped by an extensive study that put us in a position to launch before the end of this year” he explained.

Dubbed “Building for a Healthy Future Campaign”, the effort will likely be active through mid-year 2017.

Hospital Foundation Executive Director Marcia Newell explained that the pre-campaign study work named 30 people that were identified as those that would need to be involved if the campaign were to be a success. “Members of the Foundation and Hospital Boards contacted these community leaders to ask for their assistance in developing and conducting the campaign”, she said, “and we had such incredible success that we ended up with a Campaign Committee of twenty-seven members”. The Committee has selected Honorary Co-Chairs for the Campaign. Accepting that honor was longtime hospital supporters Jim Braden and Marion Stuart.

Newell said “the campaign has initiated activity in the first division which is the Medical Family section, including hospital staff, boards, providers and allied medical professionals, including Pharmacies, Dentists and others providing medical care. In the near future we will begin extending our efforts by contacting community members” .

Wednesday, 12 October 2016 13:42

Honorary Co-Chairs Named for Hospital Campaign

Longtime community activists and hospital supporters Jim Braden and Marion Stuart have accepted the positions of Honorary Co-Chairs of the effort that will be active through most of 2017.

Jim Braden is the retired owner of Braden Financial Services and has served on the Board of Directors for Clay County Hospital Foundation since 1992. He has also served as a board member for numerous organizations within the county, region and state. He served as a Kansas State Representative for 16 years and has a record of extraordinary achievements for more than 32 years in the insurance industry.

He has been nominated to receive the honor of “Director Emeritus” in the Foundation.

Marion Stuart has served as Secretary of the Board of Directors for the Clay County Hospital Foundation and was one of the founding members of the organization, serving since 1991. An accomplished educator, Marion taught school in Lorraine, Chapman, Idana, Longford, Broughton, Clifton and Clay Center where her late husband, Charles, served as Superintendent of Schools.

Marion and “Chuck” have played extensive and committed roles in the development of the hospital and foundation over a period of many years.