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Two Great Campaign Gifts in Today!
The Florence Wight Guild from Memorial Hospital just brought us a check for $13,000 for the expansion campaign. They worked very hard staging their annual Field Day event to raise this. Thank you SO MUCH!
The Washington Dental Service Foundation has granted $166,000 to expand the children’s dental clinic at Children’s Village. We have recently solicited our dental community for matching funds, and are eagerly waiting for our local dentists to make their gifts in next week’s mail.
This brings our campaign gifts and pledges to (drum roll, please…. $4,395,339).
If you send us your pledge today, perhaps we’ll reach $4.5 million by July 1.
Advanced Life Systems Employee Contest Proceeds Benefit Children’s Village
What started as a simple employee competition turned into something much more. Advanced Life Systems of Yakima medics and staff come together for better health and a bigger cause – helping special health care needs children in the Yakima Valley. Their “Biggest Loser” contest consisted of 17 employees and raised $1,381 for Children’s Village Capital Campaign.
On Friday, June 5th at 9:00 a.m., Advanced Life Systems’ contest winner Brian Wakeman, and Woody Woodcock of Advanced Life Systems, will be presented a check to Children’s Village.
Advanced Life Systems’ “Biggest Loser” contest spanned a three month period, from Feb 15th to May 15th. The company matched the $20.00 employee buy-in of each employee and also donated $10.00 for each pound lost by each contestant – for total of $1,381 to be donated to Children’s Village.
Brian Wakeman, the contest winner, lost a total of 7.82% of body weight. “In our line of work, we assist children almost daily and wanted to do something that helped those with special needs,” says Brian.
“Advanced Life Systems is committed to our involvement in the community and Children’s Village is intricate part of our community,” says Woody Woodcock of Advanced Life Systems. “We wanted to help Children’s Village in the good work that they do – providing priceless services to children in our valley.”
Memorial Hospital and Children’s Village recognized by non-profit group
From the left, Patty Hayes, Director of WithinReach, Mary Jo Managerelii, representing Yakima Neighborhood Health Services, Gail Weaver from Yakima Valley Memorial Hospital and Diane Patterson from Children’s Village.
Washington’s WithinReach program will honor Yakima Valley Memorial Hospital, Children’s Village (Trustee Partners: Central Washington Comprehensive Mental Health, Yakima Valley Farm Workers Clinics, Yakima Valley Memorial Hospital, EPIC and The Memorial Foundation), and Yakima Neighborhood Health Services, as recipients of the 2009 WithinReach Partnership Award. The award will be presented at a May 19th award luncheon at the Seattle Sheraton. WithinReach, formerly known as Healthy Mothers, Healthy Babies, offers the award to community partners that demonstrate a continuous commitment to improving the health of all families in Washington, through strong community partnerships.
“It has been wonderful working with these great Yakima partners to improve the health of families in the greater Yakima area,” said Patty Hayes Executive Director of WithinReach, “The leadership and spirit of community that each organization brings to the table is a model for the state”
WithinReach is a private nonprofit organization whose mission is to ensure optimal health for all families in Washington by connecting them to the programs, resources, and information they need to build healthy families. The organization collects information regarding available resources and disseminates the information via their website, ParentHelp123.org, and state-wide telephone hotlines, as well as through other valuable programs.
“We are honored that the WithinReach Organization has selected Children’s Village for this award,” says Diane Patterson, Director of Children’s Village. “At Children’s Village, we believe it is our role in the community to act as a conduit, connecting people with the resources they need to keep their families healthy. WithinReach helps provide us the tools to make those connections.”
Both Children’s Village and Memorial Hospital partnered with WithinReach to host focus groups with Yakima area parents and social service providers to aid in the development of new features on ParentHelp123.org, including the professional version, which is scheduled for release later this year. Currently, the site offers patients information regarding free or low-cost health insurance, food resources, immunization information, breastfeeding support, family planning services, parenting support, child development screening services, and many other social and health programs. The new professional version will implement resources aimed at better supporting area hospitals and clinics.
“WithinReach is a valuable resource to our community,” says Gail Weaver, Memorial’s Vice President of Continuum of Care. “We look forward to working with the organization to develop new ideas and continue improving this resource, not only for our community, but for both patients and professionals across the state.”
The award luncheon will take place at the Seattle Sheraton, 1400 6th Ave in Seattle on Tuesday, May 19, 2009 from 12-1:30 p.m.
My husband and I answered the “Call to Greatness” and pledged to the Village building campaign. We aren’t rich by any means, but we ARE grateful…to have the Village here in Yakima, working with our future leaders; and we’re grateful for our healthy children, and grateful for the support given to those who need special help. Join us, and make your pledge today! We are taking 5 years to pay our pledge; you can too. Call today!
To honor the occasion, Children’s Village hosted 2 free seminars from autism advocate, Keri Bowers.
The seminars dealt with developing life and social skills in children with autism and other developmental disabilities.
While math and grammer skills are important, some experts suggest that social skills are the most crucial to kids with disabilities.
Keri bowers has a 20-year old son with autism.
With her help, he graduated high school two years early and is now learning Japanese. He even has his own award winning film, “Normal People Scare Me,” which has been featured on CNN and The Today Show.
This editorial appeared April 23, 2009, in the Yakima Herald-Republic.
Last week’s groundbreaking to expand Children’s Village in Yakima, a nationally recognized health care center for children with special needs, is the continuation of a promise to bring quality care within a quality facility.
YAKIMA, Wash. — With investment portfolios reeling and the economy in a general funk, it’s hardly an opportune time to raise more than $4 million in the Yakima Valley.
But supporters of Children’s Village are only a little daunted.
“This is uncomfortable to some degree, but I am the queen of optimists,” said Anne Caffery, president of the Memorial Foundation.
The Foundation, an arm of Yakima Valley Memorial Hospital, raises funds for Children’s Village and other local health programs.
by LEAH BETH WARD
Yakima Herald-Republic
Read the full article at the Yakima Herald Republic
Campaign to double capacity to serve more children.
Our urgently needed expansion of Children's Village facilities will enable the medical team and staff at the Village to continue to provide care to the ever-growing needs of families who have children with special health care needs.
June 15, 2009 
Posted in Project Progress 
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Advanced Life Systems Employee Contest Proceeds Benefit Children’s Village
