By Kirk Johannesen, The Republic
johannesen@therepublic.com
A fund drive that has raised a year's worth of donations in less than two months has been instrumental in Columbus Regional Hospital's ability to reopen its flood-damaged emergency department next week.
More than 1,100 donations to Columbus Regional Hospital Foundation's flood-recovery fund have resulted in approximately $987,000, said Julie Abedian, CRH Foundation president.
CRH will reopen the emergency department Monday, said spokesperson Denise Glesing. The hospital has been using a mobile emergency department to treat patients.
The cost to reopen the emergency department after the June 7 flood was estimated at $2 million.
CRH Foundation is giving the hospital $1 million for the reopening, and its goal is to raise $1 million from the community.
The foundation normally raises $1 million in a year, to support the hospital and organizations it supports, Abedian said.
"We knew the community cared about the hospital, and we know the community wants the hospital back. We're not surprised at all by the generosity of the community," Abedian said.
Donations have arrived from throughout the city, county, state and nation, Abedian said. Many people never donated to CRH before.
Donations have ranged from $2 - two crisp $1 bills - to $50,000 from individuals. Many are giving what they can spare - $5, $10 and $15. Abedian said 70 percent of these donations are $100 or less.
The largest donation has been $100,000. Three medical organizations - Hendricks Regional Health, St. Vincent Health and Community Health Network - each gave that amount.
"I think they are doing a phenomenal job in a short amount of time," Jim Bickel, CRH's chief executive officer, said of the Foundation's efforts.
Community need
The idea for CRH Foundation donating $1 million, and raising $1 million from the community, came during an emergency hospital board meeting a few days after the flood, Abedian said.
Reopening the emergency department was identified as the primary need.
A certain portion of money raised by the foundation each year is undesignated, and the board decides how to use it, Abedian said. The board chose to make the $1 million gift from the undesignated funds.
The goal was to match that from the community within 30 days.
"I think that it wasn't unrealistic, because I know how much the community cares about the hospital. The thought didn't scare me at all," Abedian said.
Bickel explained that when people look at the hospital's damage, the story tells itself.
CRH Foundation hasn't been asked to begin another fund drive for the hospital, Abedian said.
CRH is facing the possibility of a gap between what damage costs are, and what Federal Emergency Management Agency, state and federal governments might reimburse the hospital. Bickel said the gap could be up to $84 million.
"Our mission in the next five years will be determined by the gap," Abedian said.