Letters to the Editor

Our hospital needs you NOW!

Annually, I send out a letter to community members appealing for support of our hospital.

The DGH Foundation and the Auxiliary of DGH raise funds helping to provide services and equipment to benefit our community. Recent publicity has confused many people and my letter was intended for clarification.

At some point a new facility replacing DGH is anticipated. However, there are many hurdles. Until then, we have a fine facility available, UMMCenter for Dorchester, to provide your immediate needs. We welcome your support.

Thank you,

Ida Jane Baker

President

DGH Foundation

Editor’s note: A copy of that letter follows.

Dear Friends,

Dorchester General Hospital and Dr. William Bair are two names that have been constants within the Cambridge community. Although projections for a new “Medical Center” at Dorchester are impressive, we do still have our functioning local hospital to meet our needs when called upon.

Renovated and improved by a very substantial gift to our Foundation from the family of a loyal donor, our operating room is still open for business. Dr. Bair, a well respected community member with a long established private practice, is our “Resident Surgeon.” Supported by a dedicated and caring staff, we are fortunate to have him in our midst.

Yes, we have a first class facility at Dorchester ready to respond to your immediate needs. However, equipment needs and/or replacements are ongoing. Currently, we are facing an upgrade with our anesthesia machine. This is a major investment that will serve for years to come. According to Penny Pink, director of Surgical Services, it comes with a price tag of approximately $56,000. A basic component of any operating room, the technology itself is anything but basic. Provision of this latest technology to our patients is paramount and allows the anesthesiologist to deliver the safest quality of care.

With your continued support; we can continue with our goal of providing our medical staff with the best equipment needed to do their jobs.

Sincerely,

Ida Jane Baker

President

Thank you for your support

As the director of services for The Salvation Army Mid Shore, it is my great pleasure to send greetings along with a hearty thank you to everyone who supported our year end fundraising and Christmas service endeavor.

First, fundraising. It may be hard to believe but $89,876.00 was given through the ubiquitous Red Kettles (local money for local needs is how we view it). An impressive achievement led by hundreds of volunteer “bell ringers” and a few key staff. Many other donations were received through the mail including several large gifts at the December 31 deadline.

Then there are the Thanksgiving and Christmas services provided to hundreds of our precious senior citizens and other households with 695 children receiving wonderful gifts by way of the Army’s Angel Tree project. With 38 businesses, churches and individuals adopting the children and their Christmas wish lists it made Santa’s work load a lot lighter.

The pleasure was all mine as I watched family after family receive bundle after bundle of new toys, clothing and food in time for Christmas day. What a privilege is mine to be the face of your generosity, peace and love. Words alone cannot describe my gratitude for such an outpouring of neighborly concern and action. I hope you feel as good about helping others through The Salvation Army as I feel. Thank you for every gift ... every hour of volunteer service ... every donation.

Human suffering and need continues and so does the work of The Salvation Army. Thank you for giving us your support. We wish for you and yours the very best of the New Year. God Bless You.

Lt. Colonel William Crabson

and Staff

The Salvation Army

Serving the Mid Shore

Cambridge, MD

Editor's note: For more information please call me at 443-786-9177

Be An Angel

There are truly angels among us! In November, we asked you, our neighbors on the Lower Shore, to “Be an Angel,” and 1,163 of you responded, giving us a record-breaking year, raising more than $118,000.

All of us at Coastal Hospice would like to thank you for contributing to help fund the charity care we provide.

Last year, Coastal Hospice cared for nearly 1,200 patients and families in Wicomico, Worcester, Somerset, and Dorchester counties and provided more than $600,000 in charity care to patients and families who have no resources for care or have needs beyond their insurance coverage.

The average gift this year was $101, which will have a significant impact on the care Coastal Hospice provides. For example, if you made a $100 donation, you paid for one month of oxygen for a patient at home.

We sincerely thank everyone who took the challenge to “Be an Angel.”

Alane K. Capen

President

Coastal Hospice & Palliative Care

Salisbury