“This is a tremendous accomplishment,” said CMH President and CEO Jim Xinis. “I want to personally acknowledge the outstanding efforts of the employee steering committee. They deserve special recognition.”

The  31-member committee was co-chaired by Eileen Moore of plant operations and Connie Trott of human resources. “This was just my way of showing my appreciation for all that CMH does for its employees,” said Moore, who has worked at the hospital for six years.

“This was a group effort,” said Trott, who joined CMH in 1998. “Everyone pitched in and worked together to achieve our goal.”

In total, 371 employees contributed to the campaign. Several departments, collectively bought bricks for the walkway in the healing garden. These bricks will be inscribed with the names of the donors. For instance, the Special Care Unit bought a brick in memory of Judy Carpenter, a critical care nurse who died in 2003.

“We felt it was a great way to incorporate her spirit into our new unit,” said Anne Lockhart. “This project impacts us all, as employees and members of the community.”

The $33 million project, the largest in the hospital’s history, includes a new 10-bed Critical Care Unit, a greatly expanded Emergency Department, 16 additional acute care beds and 300 new parking spaces. It also features a modernized laboratory and a concourse dedicated to outpatient services.

The committee also included Michelle Bowen, Debra Brown, Stacie Browning, Michelle Commodore, Patricia Cook, Colleen Damalouji, Linda Dorman, Barbara Fenwick, Elizabeth Graves, Tony Gross, Rick Haefner, Gail Harkins, Kara Harrer, Tammy Hornick, Edwina Johnson, Janie Joy, John Katz, Stacey Lankford, Tony Lapera, Anne Lockhart, Linda Mackall Ganntt, Syndy Martin, Brunella Moran, Carol Murphy, Lisa Murphy, Anita Oliver, Donna Salmon, Renee Sbrocco, Donna Sprague, Millie Sullivan and Bruce Vandenbos.