OHH Foundation donates to hospital

The Olney Hamilton Hospital Foundation re-elected its current slate of officers, heard reports about the foundation’s finances, and donated funds to the hospital at its annual meeting on April 10.

The returning board members are Lewis Farmer, president; Mark McClelland, vice president; Carla Perry, Secretary/Treasurer, Carl Craig, Financial Advisor, Don Mathews, Trina Johnson, Dr. Steve Atchley, Kendall Montgomery, and Marilyn Ickert and Bill Price, who was absent.

Anita Hearne, president of the OHH Auxiliary, reported that the organization had donated $4,000 to college-bound Olney High School seniors last year. The Auxiliary played host last year to the regional hospital auxiliary meeting, and the guest speaker, Olney Police Chief Dan Birbeck, was such a hit that he was invited to speak about hospital security at the state convention in San Marcos this year. “I think that’s a big honor for Olney to be invited to be a state speaker,” she said. Membership at the Olney Wellness Center has rebounded from COVID and jumped back up above 500 members, she said. The OHH Foundation helped the Wellness Center replace some equipment, “and we appreciate it,” she said. The Auxiliary will organize a health fair again this year in October, she said. In the financial report, Mr. McClelland reported that “so goes the stock market, so goes our portfolio,” which dropped to a valuation of $2.29 million in stocks and bonds from $2.5 million a year earlier. Although the Foundation transferred $79,000 to the hospital in 2022, this year the group voted to give $36,000 - $20,000 of which was donated by local aircraft manufacturer Air Tractor - to maintain its capital. The Foundation board also received an update on plans for a new hospital building from OHH Board President Dale Lovett before adjourning.