Public is welcome to St. Luke open house
A number of special activities are planned Saturday and Sunday in conjunction with the 50th anniversary of St. Luke Hospital.
Open houses at the facility are planned for 3 to 6 p.m. Saturday and 12:30 to 3 p.m. Sunday. The public is welcome and encouraged to attend. Refreshments will be served.
Organizers sent invitations to many people with ties to the facility, including administrators, physicians, and the Catholic Sisters who ran it originally, said Peggy Blackman, celebration committee chairman.
Many of those guests will ride a float in the parade.
The first boy, Terry Lee, and first girl, Donna Ewert Hajek, to be born at St. Luke are expected to attend.
Various historic items will be on display, including a box of 719 pledge cards. They were signed by people throughout Marion County, offering financial support to build St. Luke. More than $100,000 was raised through the pledge drive.
Living Center resident Gail Merrill, who was involved in hospital operations back when the facility was on the second floor of a downtown business (across Main Street from the post office), will serve as a greeter, Blackman said.
The facility also is getting a facelift with landscaping improvements.
"We bought every bag of mulch in Marion County," said administrator Doug Newman. "And none of this is costing taxpayers a dime."
All expenses are covered by Banner Health System, donations, and volunteer labor.
Newman said Banner, which manages the facility, is excited about the 50th anniversary. The company is gathering information for its system-wide newsletters.
