Backus Auxiliary pledges $600,000 to capital campaign
PrintNORWICH — The William W. Backus Hospital Auxiliary has pledged $600,000 to Backus Hospital’s BackusCare campaign, the largest gift made by the organization in its history.
The announcement of the gift was made Tuesday, Oct. 11 at the Auxiliary’s annual meeting, held at the hospital. The money, to be paid over five years, will be used towards the Hospital’s $50 million expansion project, approximately $5 million of which would come from donations to the BackusCare campaign.
“Since its inception, the Backus Auxiliary has prided itself on helping our hospital grow and meet the needs of our region,” said Jamie Block, Auxiliary president. “The Auxiliary considers it an honor to step up to the plate, again, to provide a major gift that will help make this most worthwhile project possible.”
The project, which began this summer with a completion date of 2007, will expand the Emergency Department, renovate inpatient units, add more private rooms, enhance surgical services and upgrade cancer care. The capital campaign, in its internal stages, will go public in the near future.
“Over the years, we have always been able to rely on the unwavering support and generosity of the Backus Auxiliary,” said Carlos “Buck” Cook III, Chairman of the Backus Board of Trustees. “The Auxiliary is an incredible group of people who do everything with the hospital’s well being in mind. I want to thank them for this donation, and all they have done to support our hospital over the years.”
The Backus Auxiliary conducts fundraisers, operates the hospital’s Gift Shop and refreshment areas, and provides numerous amenities for patients and their families, including stuffed animals for young patients, camisoles for cancer patients after surgeries and hand-sewn head dressings for chemotherapy patients.
If you are interested in becoming a member of the Auxiliary, pick up an application at the Gift Shop or call 889-8331 ext. 2259 or 2265.