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Community support pushes Memorial campaign over the top

Memorial Medical Center officials are crediting an outpouring of community support for the successful completion of one of the largest capital fundraising campaigns in the hospital's history.

The two-year, $5 million ER & Cardiac Care Campaign "has exceeded our expectations and confirmed in a very powerful way the tremendous generosity of individuals and businesses in the Greater Niagara region," said campaign Chairman Craig E. Avery, president of Erdco Development.

"We said from the beginning that we wanted this to be the kind of campaign where everybody who participates wins. The fact that we have raised more that $5.15 million for this lifesaving cause shows beyond a doubt that this is a community of champions," Avery added.

Medical Center President & CEO Joseph A. Ruffolo credited Avery, Honorary Chairman Lindy Ruff of the Buffalo Sabres and more than 30 community leaders who served on the campaign cabinet for their teamwork and dedication.

"For an effort of this magnitude to succeed, everybody needs to pull together," Ruffolo said. "This team helped solicit generous contributions from federal, state, county and local governments; private foundations; area businesses and local residents."

Ruffolo gave a special thank you to three community leaders, retired educator Carrie Mitchell, Lucy Muto of HSBC Bank USA, and Babe Rotella of Rural/Metro Medical Services, who were "inspirational in coordinating the community phase of the campaign."

(Community support pushes Memorial campaign over the top, 1st add)
Proceeds from the campaign will be used to provide equipment and programs at the new Heart Center of Niagara/ER1 Emergency Department, adjacent to the medical center at 10th Street and Walnut Avenue. Heart Center of Niagara patients began using the new facility Feb 6; the Emergency Department moved into its new location Feb. 15.

Included among those making lead gifts of $100,000 or more were Blue Cross Health Now New York, Inc.; The James H. Cummings Foundation; Healthcare Intervention Specialists; First Niagara Bank Foundation; and The Margaret L. Wendt Foundation.

The Auxiliary of Memorial Medical Center raised and donated $100,000 to the campaign. Memorial Medical Center employees donated nearly $80,000.

HSBC Bank USA, the M&T Bank Charitable Foundation and the Prime Outlets Charity Fund were among those who made major gifts of $10,000 or more.

All gifts of $1,000 or more will be acknowledged on the Wall of Honor in the new center's first floor waiting area.

Patricia E. Berggren, Memorial's vice president for foundation and community relations, noted that the ER & Cardiac Care Campaign was the most successful fundraising effort in the 15 year history of the Memorial Medical Center Foundation and brings the total raised by the foundation to more than $16 million.

Through the years, those donations have supported major renovation projects such as the Mary C. Dyster Women's Pavilion, James S. Hill Critical Care Unit and new surgical recovery and gastrointestinal units, the purchase of cutting-edge medical equipment, and the provision of innovative health care programs for the community.

"The generosity of our community and the ways in which it embraces and supports its medical center are clearly outstanding," Berggren said. "The 825 people who celebrated the end of the campaign at The Premier on Jan. 29 couldn't stop talking about how proud they are of what Memorial has accomplished in improving the health care of our region."

Gifts are still being accepted for equipment and programming at The Heart Center of Niagara/ER1. For information, call 278-4604.