The Women’s Club of Tyrone has announced its annual dinner dance fund raiser to benefit Tyrone Hospital.
The Women’s Club goal this year is to assist Tyrone Hospital with a renovation project that will make improvements in Tyrone Hospital’s emergency room and in the central patient registration area. The project will cost a minimum of $40,000.
Hospital officials said the planned changes will make a number of improvements to departments that are the first point of contact for patients entering the hospital and those that receive care in the emergency room.
The Women’s Club has a tradition of supporting Tyrone Hospital that stretches back for decades and amounts to tens of thousands of dollars.
“Each year we contact hospital administration to identify areas where we can help,” said Suzanne Bigelow Cherry, who serves as co-chairman for this year’s dinner dance fund raiser. “In recent years we have focused on buying medical equipment. This year we were pleased to adopt the renovation project.”
Bigelow Cherry said the Women’s Club invites others in the community to support Tyrone Hospital through this fund raising effort. Currently, the Women’s Club is seeking sponsors and donations for the dinner dance. Tickets for the dinner dance are also now available for purchase at $40 per ticket from any member of the Women’s Club.
The renovation plan will create a private office area for patients to register. A separate triage room, the area where nurses first assess emergency patients, will be created to improve privacy and patient comfort. The ER nurse’s station will be enlarged, and doors will be added at the entrance to the ER to improve security and privacy. In addition, the first area that people see when they come into the hospital’s main entrance will be given a facelift creating a more pleasing environment for patients and visitors.
Theresa Yanchetz, spokesperson for Tyrone Hospital said employees who work in the areas targeted for improvements developed the renovation plan in cooperation with hospital administration.
“The planning team had just started discussing how to get funds to pay for the project and it was right around that time that the Women’s Club stepped forward and offered to help.”
Ann Searer, a charter member of the Women’s Club said the hospital’s renovation project is worthwhile.
“I think we should support projects intended to improve and preserve the hospital. It is an important community resource.”
Searer said her family has used Tyrone Hospital many times over the years and that includes some of those unexpected trips to the emergency room.
“I know from personal experience the value of having a hospital five minutes away as compared to having to travel a half hour or more to receive medical care.”
“The hospital is like any other building that needs renovations and upgrades from time to time,” said Searer. “Tyrone Hospital is more than 50 years old so in that regard there is also a need for this project.”
Yanchetz said it is an honor for the hospital to have the support of the Women’s Club.
“Women are the ones who look after the healthcare needs of the family. In our community, the Women’s Club is extending that leadership role into the community through their support of the hospital.”
The Women’s Club of Tyrone will hold the annual dinner dance to benefit Tyrone Hospital on Saturday, April 5 at 6 p.m. at the U.S. Hotel on S. Juniata Street in Hollidaysburg. Live music will be provided during the dinner hour followed by dancing. Funds will be raised via live and silent auctions held throughout the evening. Patrons will have a chance to bid on various baskets and gift certificates donated by area businesses. A live auction will cap off the evening.
For more information about sponsorship, to make a donation, or to purchase tickets, contact Fran Bigelow at 684-4392 or Rose Black at the Tyrone Area Chamber of Commerce at 684-0736. Monetary donations may be forwarded to the Women’s Club of Tyrone, PO Box 162, Tyrone, Pa 16686.
