Foundation kicks off fundraising campaign

Tuesday, 22 September 2009 00:00

The new Lompoc Valley Medical Center, being constructed at 1515 East Ocean Ave., is nearing completion 8 complete enough to host a luncheon Monday to mark the beginning of a fundraising campaign to give the center some finishing touches.

Representatives from the Lompoc Hospital Foundation and the medical center?s board of directors, spoke briefly about the progress made on the building so far.

BIt will truly help improve care here in the community,C said Dr. Tomas Machin, a clinical pathologist at the current medical center at 508 East Hickory Avenue.

Dick Kline, chairman of the development and finance committee for the hospital foundation, gave an overview of the project.

BWe?re on cost schedule,C Kline said. BThis will be the best hospital on the Central Coast.C

The construction was funded by a ,75 million bond measure, which set a state record 87 percent approval rating when it passed in 2005.

According to Healthcare District Public Information Officer Jim White, the center will be Bsignificantly completeC by the end of the year. Full state certification and the operational opening of the center is scheduled for March 2010.

Just one problem 8 the ,75 million in bond money cannot, by law, be used for anything not bolted to the hospital, leaving an estimated ,6 million in furniture, equipment and supplies still needed.

White gave a tour of the hospital to several of the luncheon attendees, including newly appointed City Councilman Tony Durham and Lompoc Police Chief Tim Dabney. He described the ,6 million in items still needed as being everything that would fall out of the hospital if you turned it upside-down and shook.

BThe list is actually about 25 pages long,C White said after the tour. BMost of it is pretty cheap, but we need a lot of it, like oxygen bottles.C

Of the ,6 million, the foundation has pledged to raise ,4 million and already has raised more than half that amount, partially through fundraising activities, such as the annual walkathon on Saturday. Included in the money raised so far has been a ,1 million donation from the Shirley J. Young Trust and a ,350,000 donation from the Santa Barbara Foundation.

The luncheon marked a kick-off celebration for the foundation to reach the fundraising goal. The tours were offered to show members of the public how construction had been going on the hospital, and to show off donation possibilities.

Individual rooms, or items of equipment at the new center, can be named in memorial of someone or something, for the right price. At the luncheon, the foundation distributed a donor wall and memorial opportunity price list.

For ,2,000, you can name a recovery room nook. A grand will give you naming rights for one of the four state-of-the-art operating rooms. A donation of ,1,000 or more will be given recognition by having the donor?s name inscribed on one of the many donation wall plaques in the front of the hospital and in the lobby.