‘A community dream come true ...’

CHELAN - Lake Chelan Health Hospital Board of Commissioners, Lake Chelan Health & Wellness Foundation, Hospitals Guilds and Lake Chelan Health Hospital staff held a ribbon and grand opening ceremony on Saturday, October 15, at the new Lake Chelan Health Hospital located at 110 S. Apple Blossom Drive. Master of Ceremonies Mike Steele, Washington State Representative and a member of the Lake Chelan Health & Wellness Foundation, welcomed the more than 300 in attendance to the Lake Chelan Health Hospital Grand Opening Ceremony.

Clyde McCullough, American Legion Post #108 Commander, presented an American flag, which was flown over the capitol in Washington, D.C. to Aaron Edwards, CEO of Lake Chelan Health. Ed Holst had the honor of raising the flag as members of the American Legion Post #108 gave a hand salute. Ed Holst's wife, Karen had recently been a patient at Lake Chelan Health Hospital while she was battling cancer. She was able to return home just two days prior to her passing. Ed was so grateful for the care Karen received at the hospital he wanted to be the person to raise the flag at the new hospital.

‘‘This is indeed a dream come true, most importantly it is a community dream come true,’’ said Mary Murphy, Lake Chelan Health Board Chairman.

Other speakers included, Aaron Edwards, CEO of Lake Chelan Health Hospital; Brandon Potts, vice-president of Bouten Construction; and Manual Navarro, CEO of Columbia Valley Community Health.

Members of the Lake Chelan Health & Wellness Foundation presented Aaron Edwards, CEO of Lake Chelan Health, with a check for $2 million. The foundation recently made their final installment of that $2 million commitment, $800,000, to the Lake Chelan Health board of commissioners. The foundation was formed in 1981. Judy Steele has been a member of the foundation since its beginning. The foundation has raised $4 million in the last decade for equipment and building construction (third floor of current hospital) for the hospital.

After the ribbon cutting Aaron Edwards, CEO of Lake Chelan Health, welcomed all those in attendance to take a self guided tour of the new hospital. This is the second new hospital that the district has built, with grand opening ceremonies for the current hospital being held in 1972.

This new hospital was built on 11.6 acres at 110 S. Apple Blossom Drive in Chelan and is a 55,250 square feet, single story Critical Access Hospital. There are nine private ER rooms, 12 state-of-the-art patient rooms, four of those labor and delivery; two expanded OR’s, eight pre-operative and post-operative bays; ample parking for patients and staff. Original cost was $44.5 million: $20 million approved from public voters in 2017, $2 million from Lake Chelan Health & Wellness Foundation, $22.5 million from hospital debt capacity, grants and reserves. It was 5% over budget. It was built by Bouten Construction and designed by CollinsWoerman Architect. The hospital was targeted to open early November. The hospital district has served the Lake Chelan Valley for over 70 years.

Lake Chelan Health & Wellness Foundation

The Lake Chelan Health & Wellness Foundation is excited to announce recipients of  the Edna & Harold Bragg Endowment Fund 2022-23 student scholarships for a total of $41,800.

Harold and Edna Bragg left the majority of their estate, over $1 million to the Lake Chelan Community Foundation, now called Lake Chelan Health & Wellness Foundation. Monies are used exclusively to provide scholarships to residents of the Lake Chelan Valley who are pursuing careers in health care fields, or are local health care professionals involved in continuing medical education.

Recipients are: America Avila, Guadalupe Calderon, Noemi Garcia-Rosas, Elizabeth Gleasman, Jafeth Luna-Munoz, Itzahiana Luna-Munoz, Johan Luna-Munoz, Yuleymy Nunez, Joselin Nunez-Basurto, Juliana Ortiz-England, Celestina Pacheco Roselyn Peterson, Kaitlyn Rainville, Karen Rodriguez, Elise Rothlisberger, Christina Sloan, Devyn Smith, Emely Valencia-Suarez.

Seven of these students are in their first year of study, five in their second, three each in their third and fourth years, and one student is in their sixth year of study. For almost 30 years through the Bragg Endowment Fund, our Foundation has contributed over a million dollars for health-related scholarships to our Chelan High School and Manson High School graduating students, and continuing education for our hospital caregivers and staff. Congratulations to all.

The deadline for applying for 2023-24 scholarships is April 5, 2023. Go to Scholarships & Continuing Education - Lake Chelan Health & Wellness Foundation (lchealthwellness.com).