"Building the Dream" Capital Campaign'BUILDING THE DREAM' CAMPAIGN RECEIVES LARGEST SINGLE GIFT
MARTINSBURG – Hospice of the Panhandle has received $500,000 for its “Building the Dream” capital campaign with a gift from former Berkeley County Sheriff and Magistrate W. Randy Smith. (Pictured at right) From left: Hospice development director Maria Lorensen, Donor W. Randy Smith, Berkeley County campaign chair Joanne Wadsworth, Hospice Board chair/campaign chair GT Schramm, Hospice CEO Margaret Cogswell Smith presented the half-million check to the Hospice Board of Directors, campaign volunteers and staff members at the Board’s regular meeting on Nov. 17. Smith, a recent West Virginia lottery winner, has been making awards to various community non-profit organizations, including the Martinsburg/Berkeley County Parks and Recreation Board. He recently set up a $5 million endowment through the Eastern West Virginia Community Foundation, through which other area non-profits can apply for grants. “It’s a real pleasure for me to make this award today,” Smith said. “I know how important this building project and Hospice are to the community. Early on when I learned about the lottery win, I knew I wanted to support this project.” Smith knows the value of Hospice services, having experienced the level of care offered when his mother was ill a number of years ago. “You all (Hospice) were there for me, and now I can be here for you,” he said. The gift to Hospice’s building campaign represents the largest single gift to the campaign. With a gift of $100,000 from F&M Insurance Companies last week and this $500,000 gift from Smith, the campaign has reached nearly $2.07 million. Hospice officials have said they need at least $3 million in pledges and contributions to break ground. The building project will cost more than $9 million. “We have used the word ‘overwhelming’ in talking about some of our recent large gifts,” said Hospice Board chair/campaign chair GT Schramm. “I think we would describe this gift as awe-inspiring. Words really can’t convey the gratitude we have to Randy Smith for making such a significant gift.” On a 19-acre campus purchased in July, Hospice will construct a 14-bed hospice house inpatient unit designed to relieve patients’ short-term pain issues and manage symptoms. The facility, which will allow family members to room in with their loved ones, also will provide respite care for families who need a break from care-giving. A second building on site is an office complex, which will allow Hospice to consolidate its current five office locations in Jefferson and Berkeley counties into one space. Support services, such as marketing, development, finance and volunteer coordination, for the four counties in which Hospice operates will be provided from the consolidated office. Additionally, patient care teams (nurses, social workers, chaplains, aides) from two counties will have their base of operations here. In-home hospice services – for which Hospice of the Panhandle has been widely known for the past 30 years - will continue, and Hospice intends to keep its offices in Hampshire and Morgan counties. “Randy’s gift allows us to move this campaign to the next level,” said Hospice CEO Margaret Cogswell. “While we continue to seek local contributions for this huge project, we can now reach out to various foundations and show them just how strong our local support is. We are so thankful to Randy for his wonderful generosity.” Joanne Wadsworth, Berkeley County’s campaign chair for Hospice’s fundraising project, said she was happy to be a part of the effort on so many levels. “I am absolutely thrilled that Randy has stepped up and shown what a true community philanthropist he is,” Wadsworth said. “On so many fronts, he has done that. I’m happy that I was able to work with Randy on this project, and so pleased to be a part of the campaign effort.” It is especially appropriate that Smith make his donation to Hospice of the Panhandle this week, Cogswell said. This week is known as National Philanthropy Week, which is designed to recognize and pay tribute to the contributions that those active in the philanthropic community have made to the communities in which they reside. “Randy has shown the community once again that he understands and recognizing the value of giving back,” Cogswell said. “And during this season of Thanksgiving, Hospice, in turn, is truly grateful for his wonderful generosity.” F&M INSURANCE SIGNS ON TO CAMPAIGN WITH $100,000 GIFT (Pictured above) Back row, from left, Ken Banks, Gordon Lutz, Charles Hensell, Donald Anderson, Martin Frye, Jim Whitacre, Lee Snyder. Middle row, Vicki Fulk, F&M Board chair Wayne Lancaster, Tony Petrucci, Walt Ridenour, Jim Dailey. Front row, Hospice development director Maria Lorensen; Hospice CEO Margaret Cogswell; Farmers and Mechanics Insurance CEO Dennis McCormick; and Hospice Board chair and capital campaign chair GT Schramm. Hospice of the Panhandle again received a major boost to its building campaign with a $100,000 gift from Farmers and Mechanics Insurance Companies of Martinsburg. “There was absolutely no question that this local insurance company, which has its home in Martinsburg, wanted to sign on to this project in a huge way,” said CEO Dennis McCormick. “We have all been touched by Hospice. At the insurance company, we wanted to show just how important we believe this project to be.” The $100,000 donation by F&M represents the largest single gift in the company’s history. Board members from F&M, many of whom have made large personal pledges to Hospice’s “Building the Dream” campaign, were pivotal in deciding to make the donation. For more information about "Building the Dream," please call Maria Lorensen, Development Director, at (304) 267-1870, ext. 205, or email her at mlorensen@hospiceotp.org. |
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