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Community Memorial Hospital unveils renderings of future hospital
Staunton – On September 20th, Community Memorial Hospital in Staunton unveiled the renderings of the hospital as it will look after an extensive upcoming renovation project. The renderings were released to the public at a reception kicking off the hospital’s capital campaign titled, “Keeping Healthcare Close to Home”. The reception was attended by many members of the communities the hospital serves and was held at the VFW in Staunton.
The project, which is scheduled for groundbreaking in spring 2013, will include demolition of the oldest portion of the CMH building (the former North School), an addition to the south of the building which will house a new emergency department and laboratory, renovation of the main chassis of the current hospital to house departments being displaced by demolition, and an addition on the north end for the physical therapy department. The hospital will also undergo some cosmetic improvements to the exterior of the existing building and a new covered entryway will be added as well. The new admitting area will allow for more privacy and better compliance with HIPAA regulations and parking will be restored to the front area of the hospital as the heli-pad is being relocated to the back of the property.
The total cost for the project will be $14 million funded mostly through traditional financing and reserves the hospital already has on hand. However, CMH hopes to raise $1 million through the capital campaign which will accept pledges and donations from members of the communities the hospital serves. Since May 2012, over $110,000 has been pledged and raised towards the million dollar goal. The fundraising portion of the hospital project will allow for this to truly be a community project with citizens and donors having a sense of ownership over the rejuvenated CMH.
The capital campaign will be carried out over the next five years and individuals, businesses, families, and civic organizations can make pledges towards the project and then make periodic payments for up to five years on those pledges. Spreading the pledges out over a time period can let people make smaller payments thus allowing for a more substantial contribution than one-time donations. For example, a $5,000 pledge paid monthly over five years is approximately $83.00 per month and a $1,000 pledge paid the same way is only $16.67 per month.
The hospital believes no donation is too small and all donations to the project, from $1 to $1 million, will be recognized by name in the lobby of the renovated hospital upon completion. There are also numerous naming opportunities for more substantial gifts to the project should a business, individual, family, or civic organization wish to name a room, area, or department of the hospital in honor of themselves, family members or a business.
If you have any questions about the project specifics, how to make a pledge, a naming opportunity, or for someone to be a guest and speak to your business or civic organization regarding the project, please contact Lacey Wieseman, capital campaign coordinator at CMH, Tuesday – Thursday at 635-4232 or lwieseman@stauntonhospital.org.
Community Memorial Hospital has been in operation since 1951 and is a critical access hospital serving Staunton, Benld, Gillespie, Bunker Hill, Worden, Mt. Olive and surrounding areas. CMH employs approximately 150 individuals, making it one of the largest employers in the Staunton area.
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Another major winter storm is forecasted to blanket the BenGil area in heavy rains, flooding and snowfall starting Wednesday night through Thursday.
The mixture of precipitation and rapidly changing weather likely will produce the potential for sudden icing on roads, with high winds leading to blowing snow and reduced visibility.
“The Illinois Department of Transportation’s snow-and-ice teams will be prepared and out in force, but the public needs to be ready for conditions to change quickly and worsen if they are out on the roads,” said Illinois Transportation Secretary Omer Osman. “As always during periods of extreme weather, the safest option is to postpone any unnecessary trips and stay home. If you must travel, prepare for very slow and potentially hazardous conditions. And please slow down around our plows and other emergency vehicles, giving them plenty of room to do their jobs.”
The National Weather Service is predicting a wintry mix of precipitation to start with thunderstorms and heavy rain in much of the state this evening, converting to freezing rain overnight before turning to snow Thursday morning. In addition to localized flooding, ice and sleet accumulations are likely, creating extremely slippery surfaces and slick conditions.
Due to the rainy conditions ahead of temperatures falling overnight, the effectiveness of pretreating and salting surfaces in advance of significant snowfall will be limited. The public should anticipate icy conditions even when roads appear clear and greatly reduce speeds.
“As the Illinois State Police plans to take on the unpredictable Illinois weather, we would like to remind motorists to do their part in keeping the roads a safe place,” said Illinois State Police Director Brendan F. Kelly. “ISP, alongside IDOT and other agencies, will be working in hazardous weather conditions. Please remember to slow down, stay vigilant and move over for ANY vehicle on the side of the road.”
Statewide, IDOT has available more than 1,800 trucks and equipment to plow, treat roads and respond to weather emergencies. If you encounter a plow or any maintenance vehicle during your travels, please slow down, increase your following distance and remain patient. Do not attempt to pass – conditions in front of the plow will be worse than behind it.
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Police are investigating the death of a Bunker Hill woman who was found dead at the end of her driveway near the roadway on Monday morning, January 31.
Nancy Blycker, 91, had multiple injuries and was pronounced dead at the scene, according to police. The Macoupin County Sheriff’s Office received a 911 call to the 2900 block of Wood Hill Lane around 7:40 a.m. on Monday.
The initial suspicion was homicide, according to a release by the Major Case Squad of Greater St. Louis who said approximately 20 investigators were working the investigation, but the autopsy contradicted that suspicion.
The Major Case Squad said on Tuesday it is “highly unlikely” Blycker’s death was the “result of homicidal means.”
The Major Case Squad turned the case back over to the Macoupin County Sheriff’s Department. The official cause of death is pending further lab analysis.
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The National Weather Service has issued a Winter Storm Warning for the BenGil area, southwestern Illinois, and the St. Louis area.
The warning was issued early Tuesday taking effect at midnight tonight until noon on Thursday, February 3 calling for a “wet, heavy” snow. The forecast also calls for ice prompting a warning about possible power outages.
“All indications continue to point to a disruptive, impactful, and dangerous winter storm impacting the region starting late tonight and lasting through Thursday night,” the National Weather Service said in its Area Forecast Discussion.
The BenGil area is expected to receive heavy mixed precipitation including snow accumulations between 6 and 10 inches, sleet accumulations around three-quarters of an inch, and ice accumulations around two-tenths of an inch. Wind gusts will be as high as 35 mph on Thursday.
The storm is expected to start with rain most of the day today before transitioning into a mixture of freezing rain and/or sleet Tuesday night, then all snow Wednesday morning or as late as Wednesday afternoon continuing until about noon on Thursday.
