ELKS donate $20,000 to cover the purchase of chemo chairs
By Robbie McKay, Lincoln News • April 5, 2018
MILLINOCKET – When Millinocket Regional Hospital wanted to hold a fundraising dinner to benefit their oncology department, they needed a venue and contacted the Elks Lodge for help. Not only did the organization offer their facility for the hospital to use, they also donated a whopping $20,000 to the cause.
“For the past year we have been doing small fundraisers to purchase just one treatment chair (each chair costs approximately $4,000), so this gift of $20,000 will allow us to purchase 5 new chairs,” said Kim Faloon, RN, OCN., of the oncology department at MRH. “Some patients spend hours here receiving treatment and comfort means everything. We are so thankful for this generous gift,” she said.
“The hospital means a lot to the town, and the members of the Elks want to keep it,” said Ron Darling, Exalted Ruler of the lodge in Millinocket. “We have told them that if they ever need anything, don’t hesitate to contact us,” he said. MRH CEO Bob Peterson recognized the value of strong relationships in communities.
“MRH is committed to providing comprehensive oncology services to the communities we serve. We are currently expanding our services and planning renovations to better serve our patients. We are extremely proud and grateful to partner with the Elks on this invaluable initiative….We sincerely thank the Elks for their generosity, for their charitable leadership, and for their civic commitment to the patients of the Katahdin area.”
The Elks stand by their words and back them up with deeds. Just recently, they donated $3,600 to the cardiac rehabilitation unit at MRH. And that is not the only work this group does in the area. The Elks are a fraternal organization, and they believe in taking care of not only each other, but also the community they live and work in.
“We do a lot of things for the community that go untold,” Darling said. “We’ve been told by national that we should be loud, proud, and visible,” he said. Darling said that as a rough estimate he would say the Elks donate $40,000 to $50,000 a year to the community, and that is a very conservative estimate.
The current fundraiser that Millinocket Regional Hospital is hosting consists of a public supper on Friday, April 6 from 4:30-7 p.m. at the Elks Lodge located at 213 Aroostook Avenue in Millinocket. The event will feature a wonderful meal prepared by the chefs of the dietary department at the hospital as well as a raffle for Jason Aldean tickets and also a 50/50 raffle. The cost of admission is $10 per person and take outs are available, as well as a new feature: home deliveries.
Chris Carr and Pamola Shuttle have volunteered their time and will be making deliveries for the Oncology dinner to those who are shut in or unable to travel to the Elks Lodge due to mobility issues. If people are interested in scheduling a home delivery during this event, they can call 239-7853.
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About Millinocket Regional Hospital
Millinocket Regional Hospital (MRH) is a 25 bed Critical Access Hospital nestled at the base of Baxter State Park that provides vital healthcare services to those who live, work and play in the Katahdin Region. Beyond the friendly staff and award-winning patient care, MRH provides an impressive range of specialty and general services; with a recent expansion resulting in the addition of eight new specialties and a Walk-In Care facility. In 2016, MRH was recognized as the Cleanest Hospital in New England by Becker’s Hospital Review and received a five star rating on the Medicare Quality Scale. Providing jobs to approximately 250 people, MRH is the largest employer in the Katahdin Region and a crucial economic force within its community. For more information, please visit www.mrhme.org or www.facebook.com/MillinocketRegionalHospital