March 6, 2008 Issue                                       

©2007 The Chestnut Hill Local

Hospital gift puts Fund’s collection above last year
by KRISTIN PAZULSKI

Chestnut Hill Hospital CEO Brooks Turkel (second from left) presented a $12,500 donation to the community fund to (from left to right) Chestnut Hill Community Association President Tolis Vardakis, Community Fund Drive honorary Co-chair Beth Thorp and fund drive chair Thomas Fleming. (Photo by Erin Vertreace)

Chestnut Hill Hospital helped the Chestnut Hill Community Fund exceed the money it raised last year with a $12,500 donation presented to representatives of the Fund on Monday, March 3.

“We really appreciate the hospital’s support,” said Thomas Fleming, the Fund Drive’s chair, while awaiting the ceremonial handing over of the over-sized $12,500 check in front of the hospital on Monday. “They are obviously a major institution in the community and their leadership will inspire others in the community to follow.”

Currently the Fund Drive, which theoretically concludes at the end of March (though it will still consider donations after that deadline, Fleming said), has raised $73,897. Its goal is to raise $100,000, all of which goes to community organizations such as Chestnut Hill Meals on Wheels, Teenagers Inc. and green space maintenance. Last year the Fund raised $70,337.

Fleming said donors are still being solicited, including donations from the CHCA’s own board of directors, 14 of which have not yet given.

“We expect 100 percent [of the board’s directors] to give,” he said.

Fleming said another positive aspect about this year’s drive, besides exceeding the total amount raised, is that more people are donating. The number of donations have increased by about 40 from last year and there are 272 new donors, according to Noreen Spota, CHCA’s administrative coordinator.

“Some have given a little less, but I’d rather have the participation,” Fleming said.

The reason for the hospital’s increased donation (it gave $10,000 last year) was the impression the CHCA leadership had made on the hospital administration, said Brooks Turkel, the chief executive officer of Chestnut Hill Health System.

“We are pleased with the leadership of the association.”

“We were asked to give as much as we could,” he said, adding that the leadership convinced him that the donation fell in with the Hospital’s mission.

“They shared with me the directions of the community association and it’s consistent with ours,” he said. “They aligned with our vision for the community.”