SMC Foundation announces community phase of capital campaign

(left to right) Dan Villa, Tri-Chair; Christine Cisco, President, Samaritan Auxiliary; Robert and Jean Sturtz; Bernie Brown, Tri-Chair; Kristin LaClair, CMN Development Manager

WATERTOWN, NY — The Samaritan Medical Center Foundation is pleased to announce that it has already raised $3.8 million toward its $6 million capital campaign, “The Healing Power of Progress.”  The campaign will fund two top priorities for our community’s health needs: the Walker Center for Cancer Care, the Center for Women and Children and the Foundation’s endowment fund, which ensures long-term sustainability of the hospital.

The $3.8 million raised during the silent phase of the Samaritan Foundation’s campaign includes three leadership gifts:

  • $1 million from Children’s Miracle Network of Northern New York at Samaritan

  • $500,000 from Robert and Jean Sturtz

  • $500,000 from the Samaritan Auxiliary

“The capital campaign will provide critical support to a six million dollar need that will continue our hospital’s transformation to serve the growing need for cancer services and services for women and children, as well as building on the endowment fund to sustain our facilities and services long into the future,” explains Samaritan’s President and CEO Thomas H. Carman. “Samaritan has been here for our community since 1881 and only through the support of our generous donors in our 137-year history of caring have we been able to expand and respond to the healthcare needs of our region. We thank our community for that.”

Other major gifts received to date include: Kinney Drugs Foundation, Dr. and Mrs. John Poggi, Northern Credit Union, BCA Architects & Engineers, Knowlton Technologies, Community Bank, Carthage Savings & Loan and Westelcom Family of Companies.

“The combined generosity of these gifts and the individuals and organizations that committed to them has been awe-inspiring,” said Bernie Brown, Capital Campaign Tri-chair. “It speaks not only to the continued generosity of our community but also to their commitment to ensuring the quality care and modern facilities that our patients and our entire region deserves.”

Mr. Brown is joined by Mr. Dan Villa and Mrs. Pamela Beyor-Murtha as tri-chairs for “The Healing Power of Progress” capital campaign.

To learn more about how you can support “The Healing Power of Progress” campaign, please contact Bonnie Eppolito at the Samaritan Foundation at 315.779.6696 or visit www.samaritanhealth/campaign.com