Community thanks the community
For nearly 50 years Community Medical Centers has been greatly supported by its community.
The local law firm Stammer, McKnight, Barnum & Bailey has given to Community since 1968; Dr. Kenneth O’Brien since 1978; and employee Dale Claes since 1985.
Companies and families who have given to or invested in Community throughout the years are now being made a more permanent part of its hospitals.
In Community Regional Medical Center's lobby 2,300 names of donor-investors are captured under the title, “Investing in the highest level of health care.” Each name engraved on the tempered glass is Community’s way of saying thank you to its donor-investors.
“Our gift-givers can now see their names each and every day,” said Jan Paul, Community Medical Foundation senior development officer. “What is cool is that as donor-investors continue to give, they will see their names move up into the higher levels, so that all can see and recognize their growing gifts.”
Paul also said there is room for the wall to grow for many years and filling up the current space is something many look forward to seeing. When it fills up, the hospital will build a second donor-investor wall adjacent to this one, same style and design.
The donor wall lists the monetary amounts into 10 different levels:
- Leon S. Peters Society $1 million
- Visionaries $500,000
- Honors Circle $100,000
- Leaders Circle $50,000
- Partners $25,000
- Philanthropists $10,000
- Benefactors $5,000
- Ambassadors $2,500
- Trustees $1,000
“The $1 million level is the most honored among our donors,” said Melissa Der Manouel, chair of Community Medical Foundation’s board. “We named it the Leon S. Peters Society to honor how he set the standards for giving.”
Longtime philanthropist Pete P. Peters, the brother of Leon, said it was an honor to have his brother given such a high recognition.
“Our family gives to Community because that is where it is needed,” Peters said. “We make our money here, in this community, so we give back here to this community.”
Der Manouel agrees, “Our name is Community Medical Centers – we are here for the community, so it makes sense to show our appreciation for the donors and investors in a permanent setting like this.”
An exact replica of the tempered glass wall has just been completed at Clovis Community Medical Center. Those who gave to the Clovis hospital have their names highlighted in gold. In the near future, Fresno Heart & Surgical Hospital will have a tempered glass wall replica as well.
For more information about giving to Community Medical Centers please visit the Community Medical Foundation page.
This story was reported by Kelsey Baker. She can be reached at MedWatchToday@communitymedical.org.