The end of the calendar year is always a busy time at the Unity Medical Center Foundation. As you have probably already read in this newsletter, we wrapped up this year’s 25th Annual Harvest Auction, which was incredibly successful. In fact, it was the most successful auction in the past five years, which includes two years online during COVID, so no surprise there. According to our records, only the 2018 Harvest Auction was more successful. While the main goal of any fundraising event is total dollars raised, I more so hope everyone who participated felt good about supporting their local health care provider Unity Medical Center during the event. Unity Medical Center (UMC) will now be able to deliver important medications more efficiently, and in a safer environment for patients and staff. 

Shortly after the Harvest Auction, the UMC Foundation participated in Giving Tuesday, a national day of giving following Black Friday, Small Business Saturday and Cyber Monday (Nov. 28). Even though we were just coming off our largest fundraiser of the year, we still received a number of generous gifts that totaled over $1,000. Even Wally DeSautel, who wasn’t feeling well that day, called our office to let us know he would bring us a gift as soon as he was feeling better. How impressive is that? 

Then UMC hosted the Tree of Lights Community Remembrance Service on Dec. 3. Monetary donations received during last year’s Tree of Lights event were used to create bereavement kits given to families when they lose a loved one at UMC (see Page 7). The UMC Foundation also provided $500 from its Programs Endowment for the project. We hope that these kits give families a sense of peace during a difficult time in their lives. I personally have received similar kits from Altru Health System, so I understand how important it is to have them from that perspective. 

Now that these events have passed, the Foundation office will turn its focus to Giving Hearts Day, a regional giving day coming Feb. 8. The Foundation board had yet to select the fundraising purpose for the 2024 event at the time this newsletter went to print, but I am certain that, with your support, we’ll continue to bolster health care delivery at our rural facility that is growing every day (see Alan’s CEO Update on Page 2 for Grafton Family Clinic expansion information). It’s so exciting for all of us to see this growth and be a part of it. We are glad that you are on this journey with us!