By Mark Wineka
Salisbury Post
Huge gifts from Novant Health, Wilson L. Smith and the community at large pushed the Partners in Progress Capital Campaign past its $25 million goal in support of Rowan Regional Medical Center Thursday night.
An exuberant Ronnie Smith, general campaign chairman, gaveled the six-year capital campaign to a close at the hospital foundation’s annual awards dinner.
The $26,314,867 raised in gifts and pledges represent the largest fundraising campaign ever undertaken in Rowan County.
“I believe it shows how important quality healthcare is to our families, friends and neighbors,” said Smith, who also chairs the hospital foundation board.
He described it as a great, history-making day for every Rowan citizen.
Wilson Smith, Ronnie’s father and the hospital’s biggest benefactor, forged the giving path during the campaign. A Food Lion Inc. co-founder, he jump-started Partners in Progress in 2002 with a lead gift of $3 million, plus a $2 million challenge grant.
And at the end of campaign, he put up a million-dollar challenge, offering to give $1 million more if the community came through with an additional $1 million.
He made good on that challenge Thursday night because the community pledged $1,034,441 since November.
Wilson Smith said his family’s contributions reflected gratitude to a community that supported Food Lion. He added that he also wanted Rowan Regional to be one of the finest medical centers available.
“Some day, you may have to use it,” he said.
In all, the Wilson L. Smith family and the Smith Family Foundation contributed nearly $7 million to Partners in Progress.
“I have so much admiration and respect for Wilson and Ronnie Smith,” said Dr. Dennis Hill, vice chairman of the foundation board of directors. “First and foremost, they really do have the well-being of this community and particularly quality healthcare at Rowan Regional Medical Center as their chief philanthropic interests.”
Major contributions from Rowan Regional Medical Center’s new partner, Novant Health, ended up pushing the capital campaign past its $25 million goal.
At the end of 2007, the campaign had reached $22,362,401.
Here’s a rundown of what put it over the $25 million goal Thursday night:
– Wilson Smith presented a $1 million check to cover his challenge.
– The foundation added in the community’s $1,034,441.
– Novant Health presented a $1 million check in honor of the Wilson Smith family for its many years of support of the hospital.
– Novant also had said it would match gifts to the campaign of $25,000 or more, so it wrote an additional check for $920,574.
Rowan Regional Medical Center Chief Executive Officer Chuck Elliott and Presbyterian Healthcare (part of Novant) President Carl S. Armato shared much of the Holiday Inn podium time Thursday night as they accepted and/or presented huge checks made out to the campaign.
“Chuck invited me to a free dinner, but it’s getting quite expensive,” Armato said at one point.
Apart from the donations made to Partners in Progress, Armato also presented a Novant Health check for $5 million as its merger gift to the foundation. It was promised as part of the recent merger deal, and the foundation board can determine its future use.
All funds raised for the hospital will be used exclusively in Rowan County, hospital officials stressed.
Novant Health will invest $250 million in Rowan Regional Medical Center and its facilities over the next five years based on recommendations from the hospital board. Novant also has assumed the hospital’s current debt.
Hospital officials praised Ronnie Smith for his leadership during the foundation’s long capital campaign.
“We call Ronnie Smith Mr. Excitement at our development committee meetings,” said Darryel Scism, a member of the foundation board. “Without his energy and enthusiasm, the capital campaign would not have reached this level of success.”
The evening also honored Susan and Larry Cloninger Jr. as the 2008 Wilson L. Smith Philanthropic Award winners, the foundation’s highest honor.
The award recognized the Cloningers’ monetary contributions and special service to the foundation, including the Partners in Progress, the John Campbell Memorial Golf Classic and Patrons Ball.
The couple have been presenting sponsors of the golf tournament for six years, and they headed the 2007 Patrons Ball. The reception area in the hospital’s new Emergency Department is named for them.
Susan Cloninger said the couple’s ability to give back to the community is made possible by the customers and employees of their Toyota/Ford car dealerships, and she credited the Smiths in particular with being committed to making the community a better place now and in the future “as we are.”
The evening also honored all the accomplishments of former Chief Executive Officer Jim Freeman, whom Elliott described as “one of the most committed healthcare professionals I’ve known.”
Rick Parker, vice president of clinical and support services for the hospital, presented Freeman with a slab of Italian marble from the original Rowan Memorial Hospital lobby in 1935, in appreciation of Freeman’s major role in shaping the present healthcare facilities.
Contact Mark Wineka at 704-797-4263, or mwineka@salisburypost.com.