The new year is a time when we reflect on the past year and express gratitude for support received. The Fry Healthcare Foundation Board of Directors is grateful to be able to provide Boundary Community Hospital (BCH) with the medical equipment and health-care services that are needed in our community. In 2019, they purchased the last four telemetric heart monitors for Emergency, Surgery and Acute Care, a new Blood Bank refrigerator and upgraded refrigerators for the Clinical Medical Laboratory. In September, the Board was able to fund the down payment on new 3D Mammography equipment to make this important cancer screening available to Boundary County women. And in January, the Extended Care Facility received a new lift to assist with patient care. This is all possible through the generous donations of our community members.
Fry Healthcare Foundation is dedicated to ensuring that Boundary Community Hospital obtains the equipment needed to support the health of our community. Memorial donations and other gifts are donated directly to BCH throughout the year, but the majority of donations come through two main annual events: the Golf Tournament and the Festival of Hearts Gala.
This year’s gala is right around the corner, and the Fry Healthcare Foundation is excited as ever to see what becomes possible as a result of generous donations. Proceeds from the Festival of Hearts have funded more than $100,000 in equipment for Boundary Community Hospital since the first gala in 2017!
A four-course dinner is served at the gala, followed by The Dessert Dash and a live auction. The Dessert Dash is always the highlight of the evening, and last year it was a rousing success, raising $8,409. The Tower of Chocolate Cake donated by Kootenai River Inn went for $2,000, and two other desserts were over $1,000 each. “Tables pool their resources to be able to pick first from the 15 spectacular desserts,” explained Teresa Rae, the treasurer and chair of the Festival of Hearts Committee. “It is a fun way for everyone at the event to participate and share the desserts, with many take-home boxes providing an extra amount to share. A special thank you to the restaurants and individuals who create the beautiful and delicious dessert array.”
Even though the Festival of Hearts Gala is a wonderful way for the community to show their generosity, it only happens once a year. The Fry Healthcare Foundation recently started a new year-round program called Gift of Thanks. Sometimes patients ask BCH staff members if there is a way to honor a special caregiver or say thank you for exceptional care. If you would like to honor a nurse, physician or any employee, Fry Healthcare Foundation (FHF) accepts Gift of Thanks contributions. When a patient or family member provides a Gift of Thanks, the FHF board will notify and recognize the caregiver. Your gift helps BCH acknowledge outstanding care and continue to grow to meet the needs of our community.
FHF also occasionally has the honor of receiving large grants to help maintain quality care standards. The Idaho State Elks and Sandpoint Elks Lodge #1376 will be partnering with FHF in 2020 to purchase a new Hausman Ambulation System. This replaces the 30-year-old parallel bars in the Rehabilitation Services gym through an Idaho Elks Rehab Grant. According to Petra Timmermans, PT, Rehabilitation Services manager at BCH, “The largest population growth in our community consists of retirees and baby boomers, with an increasing need for pre- and post-surgical treatment of joints, especially knees and hips. In the past year, BCH has started total knee and total hip replacement surgeries at our facility. Our physical therapists like to be able to work on ambulation as early as possible to first ensure patient’s safe return home, then continue to work on regaining strength and function once they come in as an outpatient. In addition to the newly added surgeries, around 25 percent of our patients have walking difficulties due to lower extremity joint pain. We appreciate the support provided by the Idaho State Elks in helping our patients regain their mobility as fast and efficiently as possible.”
Whatever the method, whether through a one-night gala or ongoing program, whether a large grant or small individual donation for the auction, Fry Healthcare Foundation’s mission is to serve the ongoing needs of Boundary Community Hospital and Extended Care Facility. Fundraising efforts directly impact the health of our community through necessary purchases that allow the hospital to maintain the highest standards of health care and state-of-the-art equipment. The BCH Board of Trustees and Board of Directors work hand-in-hand to find ways to meet the health-care needs for our rural area.