Fundraising and Community Support

The Soin Pediatric Trauma and Emergency Center

Last June marked the completion of the renovation and expansion of the Soin Pediatric Trauma and Emergency Center. $5,487,114 million was raised from the community to help ill and injured children. The challenge grant from the MeadWestvaco Foundation helped to ensure we go over our $5.3 million goal. The new center features two state of the art trauma rooms, double the number of exam rooms to 46, The renovation could not have come at a better time – last year we cared for 59,967 kids in the new center. This outpouring of support is just one more example of how the community has stepped forward to ensure the health and safety of our kids.

Watch this video about The Soin Pediatric Trauma and Emergency Center

The Women's Board

The Women’s Board of The Children’s Medical Center of Dayton had an outstanding year. They hosted a Careers in Health Care seminar for 120 high school students, volunteered in the Schear Activity Center on 3 West and hosted an evening educational program for parents. They held their 23^rd CHA-CHA fundraiser and raised a record $330,000 to purchase 10 new Giraffe® Beds for the Newborn Intensive Care Unit. This allows the NICU to now have 18 of these beds which provide care to the tiniest and most critical newborns.

Learn more about the Women’s Board

TWIGS (Terrifc Women in Giving)

The TWIGs, the auxiliary of The Children’s Medical Center of Dayton, had quite a successful year. They presented a check for $257,000 to Dayton Children’s which completed the TWIG’s $500,000 pledge to support The Soin Pediatric Trauma and Emergency Center. The individual TWIG groups held various fundraisers throughout the year and combined their talents and efforts on two major fundraising events, Sugarplum Festival of Trees in November and The Gem City Jam and Hoopla golf outing in August.

The TWIGs announced their new 2011 TWIG Auxiliary pledge of $500,000 over three years to provide funding toward the Pediatric Cancer and Blood Disorders Care Endowment. This endowment was created to enhance an already family-focused cancer care program that would connect patients with multiple resources dealing with care, treatment, education, support groups, and other resources. Annual interest generated by this endowment will eventually fund a social work position, a child life specialist specifically assigned to the cancer program and patient/family educational materials.

Learn more about TWIGS

Telethon and Radiothon

This year saw a change in the name and a new logo for Children’s Miracle Network Hospitals. The annual telethon raised a record $2.1 million when it aired locally on WHIO-TV on June 4 and 5. The event was a success thanks to the major sponsors such as Speedway, Walmart, Sam’s Club, Dairy Queen, Credit Union for Kids as well as K99.1FM, Morris Home Furnishings, Buffalo Wild Wings, Cub Foods and many more.

The K99.1FM Cares for Kids Radiothon took place in November and raised $200,000 for Dayton Children’s. Special thanks to the key sponsors, McAfee Heating & Air Conditioning, Rich Roofing, Joseph Airport Toyota and Booz/Allen/Hamilton for their generous support.

Cox Media Group Ohio also continues to play a significant role in their support of our major fundraising efforts throughout the year to make sure children throughout the Miami Valley receive the best pediatric care in their time of need.

Dr. Alter and Dr. Broxson with the Wegerzyn family

Wegerzyn legacy

Dayton Children’s fully funded two endowed medical chairs, thanks to a generous gift from the Wegerzyn family. The two chairs are the Benjamin Wegerzyn Pediatric Cancer and Blood Disorders Endowed Chair and the Jerome Wiles Infectious Disease Endowed Chair. The Wegerzyn chair is held by Emmett Broxson, MD, and the Wiles chair is held by Sherman Alter, MD.

Dayton Children’s cancer care program and infectious disease division are critical to the health and well-being of children in our region. Endowed chairs for these specialties helps Dayton Children’s retain and recruit top specialists and ensure these services are available to infants children and teens in the region for years to come.

Benjamin Wegerzyn was a self-made millionaire in the Dayton region. Ben’s nephew Jerome, or Jerry suffered from tuberculosis of the bone causing him to live at Barney’s Convalescent Hospital, later known as The Children’s Medical Center of Dayton, for three years during his early childhood in the 1940s.

Ben eventually set up a charitable remainder trust that benefited Jerry while he lived as well as two charities that were special to him, Dayton Children’s and Hospice of Dayton. Upon Jerry’s death, the trust distributed more than $11 million evenly between Dayton Children’s and Hospice. Jerome also included Dayton Children’s in his estate, leaving a modest bequest.

A third endowment fund was established to support the operations of three child advocacy centers affiliated with Dayton Children’s: CARE House, which serves Montgomery County; Michael’s House, which serves Greene County; and the Warren County Child Advocacy Center. All of these centers are collaborations with the prosecutor’s’ office, the county sheriff’s office and children’s services in each county. Thanks to the generous donations of the Wegerzyn family, Dayton Children’s is able to continue to support these centers and provide ongoing care and protection to the kids in our region.

Return to this years annual report.