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Rendering of ER plans
PUTNAM — Day Kimball Healthcare’s “Care in a Heartbeat” Campaign has raised more than $3, healthcare officials said.
Over the past 10 months, 930 individuals and businesses donated a total of $3,035,304.68 to the “Care in a Heartbeat” campaign, exceeding the $3 million fund-raising goal needed to build a new emergency department at Day Kimball Hospital.
“We’re overwhelmed by the outpouring of support and extremely thankful,” said Pomfret resident Peter Deary, owner of Sunnyside Farms and campaign co-chair with his wife, Kimberly Lane, APRN. “Though I’m not surprised, it’s heartwarming to have the firsthand experience of individuals and businesses pulling together for the overall good of the community.”
A breakdown: Leadership, including some physician (donations of $50,000 or more): $1,625,000;
(54 percent of the total raised) ; Business and community: $848,792.68; (27 percent); Physicians: $481,250; (16 percent); Day Kimball employees and volunteers: $80,262; (3 percent).
To honor the largest contribution of $500,000 made by Steven and Marjolaine Townsend of Brooklyn, the new emergency department will be named the Townsend Emergency Medical Center.
Day Kimball Hospital’s emergency department was constructed in 1970 and renovated in 1990. Originally designed to serve 18,000 patients per year, today over 30,000 people seek care there annually, with forecasts indicating the number growing even more over the next few years. Though patient care remains at optimum levels, demand has made the space obsolete.