Samaritans Club Annual Meeting

On September 20, more than 30 members of the Samaritans Club gathered to vote on where annual donations would best assist the hospital in improving patient quality of care. The Samaritan Hospital Foundation (SHF) annual giving club was founded more than 15 years ago to support our local hospital’s equipment needs. Every dollar members give is matched by SHF and 100% goes toward the purchase of new medical equipment, helping ensure the best care possible for patients.

This year’s event kicked off with hospital managers thanking everyone for their generous support, including Bryan Finger, Director of Operation & Clinical Services for UH Samaritan Medical Center who shared, “Staff from other UH locations come to Ashland and are amazed by the equipment we have—we would not have it without the support of Samaritans Club and SHF.” After hospital department managers presented their department’s needs, members were able to vote on their top choices for equipment items for purchase out of the Club’s $27,000 in dues, which was matched dollar-for-dollar by SHF.

Combined contributions from 136 members matched by SHF—along with several anonymous donations the day of the event—stretched the club’s purchasing power even further, totaling more than $68,000! Club members were able to purchase much-needed equipment items for the hospital, including: an EKG machine to help with the 500-700 EKGs performed at the hospital each month, patient and task chairs, and five cardio pulmonary ventilator medication controllers for Cardiopulmonary Services; new mattresses and recliners for the Emergency Department; a new ultrasound unit for the Radiology Department; an automatic pool cleaning machine for the Rehabilitation Services Department to free up valuable staff time to focus on patient care; a critical device for the Cath Lab that performs rapid heparin levels calculation to ensure proper clotting during high-risk heart procedures; and a safety harness and track system for the Loudonville clinic that allow therapists to safely perform higher-level balance and functional training activities.

 The Samaritans Club offers three membership levels: Individuals $100, Couples $150, Businesses $200, The Caring Heart $500, and The Heart of Giving Circle $1,000.

If you feel strongly about keeping quality medical care close to home for you and your loved ones, join forces with other supporters in our community through the Samaritans Club.

Contact Jerry Seiter, Director Development and Wellness Programs at Samaritan Hospital Foundation at 419-207-7871 or jseiter@samaritanhospitalfoundation.org or visit our website at samaritanhospitalfoundation.org to learn more.