Greater Fairbanks Community Hospital Foundation

Greater Fairbanks Community Hospital Foundation. Vignettes in History. , Residents of interior and northern Alaska are fortunate to have excellent health care resources. Strong support from the people in Fairbanks and the surrounding area has been the key in developing fine facilities and services., Fairbanksans have contributed to the development of their hospitals since the building of the first facility in the early 1900's. In February 1968 the Greater Fairbanks Community Hospital Foundation was formed to build a new facility which was badly needed. Despite severe losses suffered in the flood a few months earlier, citizens gave generously to start the new hospital. Between 1968 and 1976, many businesses, individuals and civic organizations gave a total of $5.6 million in three fund drives to help their hospital., Fairbanks Memorial Hospital is a modern facility offering a variety of health services. It has a highly trained staff, physicians representing a full spectrum of medical specialties and a strong volunteer organization. In addition, a skilled staff provides a continuum of long-term care services at Denali Center, also owned by the Foundation., The Foundation, a community organization, is thankful for the support which made possible the development of a fine hospital and nursing home., (September 15, 1904) , St. Matthews Mission and Hospital, Fairbanks first hospital, , was opened by the Episcopal church., In less than two years, 340 patients were treated, taxing , the small hospital's resources., (Early 1906) , Fr. Francis Monroe recognized the need for another hospital., The first contribution for the new hospital came from , Dan Jonas at his wife's urging. Jonas, of Jewish descent, , organized some 20 citizens to make $500 pledges., (March 1906) , Donations toward the new hospital were less than expected, , as many Fairbanksans sent money to friends and , relatives recovering from the San Francisco earthquake., (May 19, 1906) , Land for the new hospital was purchased for $1,200 on , Garden Island. This half-block parcel lies behind the , Immaculate Conception Catholic church on Illinois Street., (May 22, 1906) , Fire ravaged Fairbanks, burning two-thirds of the town , and ruining many who had subscribed to the new hospital. , The loss was estimated at $2.5 million. Fr. Joseph Crimont, , a colleague of Fr. Monroe, borrowed $15,000 to start the , new hospital., (July 17, 1906) , Construction began on St. Joseph's Hospital, and the , community made more donations., (November 29, 1906) , On Thanksgiving day, St. Joseph's Hospital opened with , space for 40 patients in a three-story wood structure., (December 1909) , The number of hospital patients during those early years , ranged from 105 in 1907 to 619 in 1909, the peak gold mining year., (October 1910) , The Sisters of Charity of Providence came to Fairbanks. After , a year's trial they took over administration of the hospital., (May 1951) , A new wing was added to St. Joseph's Hospital during the 1950's. , Bassett Army Hospital was built at Ladd Field (now Ft Wainwright) , for $7.1 million., (October 1966) , Voters turned down a $5 million Borough bond issue , to fund a new hospital., (June 1987) , The Sisters announced they would close St. Joseph's Hospital, , which was badly in need of upgrading., (August 15, 1967) , The Chena River flooded, forcing evacuation of St. Joseph's Hospital. , Sixty-three patients were transferred to Bassett Army Hospital within , 1½ hours., (October 3, 1967) Voters again defeated a Borough bond issue to finance a new , hospital. Later in the year a group of community leaders investigated , other ways to fund a hospital., (February 1968) , The Greater Fairbanks Community Hospital Foundation was formed with , Dr. William Wood, then president of the University of Alaska, as , its first president., (April 16, 1968) , The Foundation began a fund drive to raise $1 million for the new hospital. , By 1972 hundreds of Fairbanksans had contributed, and $2.5 million was raised., (June 17, 1968) , for $1 the Foundation purchased from the city 25 acres of land at , 16th Avenue and Cowles Street., (July 1, 1968) , The Sisters of Providence leased to the city the 67-bed St. Josephs Hospital. , Arrangements were made for Lutheran Hospitals and Homes Society of North Dakota , to manage the hospital while a new facility was built by the community., (May 6, 1969) , The Fairbanks Community Hospital Auxiliary was formed with 55 charter , members. The Auxiliary gave 145 hours of volunteer service in its first year., (May 8, 1970) , Ground was broken for the new hospital on Cowles street., (January 1971) , The Fairbanks Community Blood Bank was started., (March 19, 1972) , The debt-free Fairbanks Memorial Hospital was dedicated. Financing for , the 48.5 million hospital consisted of $2.5 million in community donations , and the remainder from state and federal sources., (April 8, 1972) , Patients were transferred from St. Joseph's to the new 116-bed Fairbanks , Memorial Hospital. Lutheran Hospitals and Homes Society continued to manage , the facility with community input. During the first year in the new hospital , there were 5,041 admissions., (February 1973) , Fairbanks Memorial Hospital received accreditation from the Joint Commission , on Accreditation of Hospitals, giving it national professional recognition for , high quality care., (June 16, 1976) , With the impact of the Trans-Alaska pipeline construction, Fairbanks Memorial , Hospital resources were stretched. The Foundation broke ground for an addition , and a fund drive resulted in $3.1 million to start the project., (June 11, 1978) , The new wing at Fairbanks Memorial Hospital was dedicated, bringing the , total bed count to 155., (October 1979) , A $12 million bond sale through the newly formed Alaska Medical Facilities , Bond Authority completed financing of the 1976 addition., (June 1981) , A remodeling project expanded the Obstetrical Unit and the Nursery., (September 1981) , Nursing students at the University of Alaska and Tanana Valley Community , College began clinical training at the hospital., (June 23, 1982) , The Foundation broke ground for a five-story addition. State grants totaling , $22 million were appropriated over a three year period for the project., (November 1983) , The Foundation purchased acreage north, a 100-bed long-term care center, and , renamed it Denali Center. Lutheran Hospitals and Homes Society agreed to , manage it., (December 1984) , The Hospital Auxiliary provided over 9,700 hours of volunteer service in 1984. , Auxiliary activities raised thousands of dollars annually for the purchase of , new hospital equipment. Hospital patients in 1984 totaled 8,035.