A Legacy of Service
Community Hospital Foundation
Early History
The history of Four County Community Foundation begins with the history of its predecessor organization, Community Hospital Foundation. Incorporated April 9, 1953, Community Hospital Foundation began raising money to build a hospital to serve the health needs of residents of Northeast Oakland, Northwest Macomb, Southwest St. Clair, and Southeast Lapeer Counties in September 1955. A professional fund raiser was employed, and foundation members from Allenton, Almont, Armada, Dryden, Capac, Imlay City, Lakeville, Romeo, and Washington were charged with collecting nearly $500,000 to design, build, and equip a 32 bed hospital to be located near the center of its service area.
Construction was started with ground breaking ceremonies on June 15, 1957. The first shovel of dirt was turned by Dr. David Burley. 94 years old at that time, he was the oldest of Michigan's practicing physicians. He had "opened shop" in Almont in 1893.
The hospital was dedicated on October 24, 1958. (Although all equipment had been ordered, not all was in place.) The hospital was opened with thirty-two beds on January 5, 1959, and was expanded to 48 beds-40 medical/surgical and 8 maternity-on June 28, 1959. The cost of the facility was estimated to be $715,235.00, of which all but a federal grant of $91,696.00 was raised by gifts from the people and businesses operating in the community.
Hospital Foundation Trustees & Officers
The hospital foundation officers were Leon T. Bishop, Chairman of the Board (the brother of Dr. G. C. Bishop); Thomas K. Richards, President; Louis R. Newlin, Vice-President; and James D. Ligon, Treasurer. The Executive Director was Loretta Paul, and the Medical Staff consisted of Gilbert Claire Bishop, M.D., Thomas Kay Buchanan, M.D., William Charles Heitsch, M.D., O. B. Kahn, M.D., Dorothy L. Leith, M.D., William Lyle Martin, M.D., Frank T. Moran, M.D., John C. Nott, D.D.S., Glen L. Smith, M.D., and Walter F. Strempek, M.D. There were 51 members representing their communities on the Community Hospital Foundation.
Every effort has been made to acknowledge the many participants and various communities involved in this effort. A newspaper clipping for the dedication is the most complete list available of the many dedicated people whose time and energy were spent to make the hospital a reality. Beyond that, a list of Foundation members and officers was complied from the minutes of Community Hospital Foundation. It is this legacy of involvement and dedication which continues to inspire the Board and staff of Four County Community Foundation.
Operations and Closing
The new hospital was soon very busy, often filled to near capacity with patients, and usually with several new born babies in the nursery.
The operating room of Bishop Hospital had been on the second floor - and patients were carried on stretchers up the steep stairs shown on the left. Surgery in the new hospital was now much easier on both staff and patients.
As advances in technology were made, larger hospitals had equipment beyond the means of Community Hospital. To insure the best possible care for their patients, helicopter ambulance service was initiated. Community Hospital was among the first to provide this transportation.
The hospital was operated profitably for about 25 years. The sale of the Octagon House at 231 E. St. Clair, Almont, as part of the William Hahn Estate, benefited the hospital. As larger new hospitals offering diagnostic and therapeutic services beyond the means of a small hospital were opened nearby, the number of patients declined and the hospital began to lose money. The board investigated a merger with another hospital serving the health needs of the community, but was unable to find a partner on terms acceptable to the board. When St. Joseph's Mercy Hospital of Mt. Clemens offered to purchase Community Hospital Foundation, and continue to operate a health care facility serving the community from the hospital site, the Foundation officers decided to accept their offer of approximately $2,500,000.00.
It was then left to Board President Ed Risch and the other Trustees to determine the best use of the proceeds. All agreed that money which had been raised in the local communities should continue to benefit those communities. To do that, they decided to create a charitable foundation. Current members of the hospital board consented to serve on the new foundation board until it became established and new trustees could be elected.
To most of these good people this was a sad ending. They were aware that the money would stay to benefit their communities, but "community foundation" was a new concept to them. What it could do, who would administer it, how long would it last - a lot of unanswered questions clouded their view.
This history hopes to show just what they created. It is our sincere hope that they, and all who read this, will be satisfied with, and proud of, the heritage we at Four County Community Foundation are working to insure. The following story is dedicated to them.
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