On Dec. 8, we’re celebrating the 15th anniversary of Akron Children’s Beeghly campus.
We’ve accomplished a great deal since first opening those doors in 2008. And this growth was fueled by donor support.
“Our donors and our community are the reason we’re celebrating this milestone,” said Paul Olivier, vice president of Akron Children’s Mahoning Valley. “They have supported us and celebrated with us every step of the way, from the renovation of our Emergency Department to the opening of a behavioral health center in the Valley to expanding our presence in the region with the addition of new primary and specialty care locations.”
Thousands of individuals, families, businesses, foundations, schools and other organizations have rallied around our hospital. In this post, we’re privileged to share the stories of two of them.
To all of our donors in the Mahoning Valley – past and present, big and small – thank you for your support. Your commitment to the children and families in the region has truly made a difference.
Dr. Elena Rossi
Dr. Rossi has never shied away from promoting pediatric health – wherever and whenever she could – as a representative of Akron Children’s Mahoning Valley.
The soon-to-be-retired neonatologist participated in media interviews, commercials and news briefings. She served on infant mortality teams, worked side by side with the Mahoning County District Board of Public Health, spoke at community events and so much more.
In addition to being generous with her time, she has supported the hospital as a donor for the last 16 years.
Dr. Elena Rossi, medical director for special projects and neonatologist
“With philanthropy, you lead by example,” explained Dr. Rossi. “If you don’t donate, nobody else will. It helps when someone sets an example. My parents did for us. I do hope people continue to support Akron Children’s in that way.”
A Mahoning Valley native, Dr. Rossi made her first gift to Akron Children’s in 2008 toward our Annual Fund – the year she first started her tenure at our hospital. Since then, she’s made contributions to the Miracles & Promises Radiothon, the Vision for Our Valley’s Children Campaign and numerous other initiatives. She also was involved with The Touched by Nathan Fund for years.
“Once I’m retired and done, I want to make sure that the things I care about are available for children and the community,” said Dr. Rossi. “I hope that while I was here, I did raise Akron Children’s presence in the Mahoning Valley. And as a leader, I hope people continue to set the bar high and support colleagues, families and champion what we have here.”
Dr. Rossi also witnessed the Mahoning Valley community championing the hospital.
“The list of what they’ve helped us achieve is so long,” she said. “From big programs to small programs, they’ve all benefited from donor support. We wouldn’t be where we are in surgery or in mental health. They made it possible for us to build our new emergency department on the Beeghly campus. They have funded the mission to keep care in the Mahoning Valley. That support helps ensure that we’re going to be here for a long time for our children and families.”
Farmers National Bank and Farmers Trust Company
For 14 years, Farmers National Bank and Farmers Trust Company have been proud supporters of Akron Children’s Mahoning Valley.
“It’s been a very meaningful and intentional relationship,” said Kevin Helmick, president and CEO of Farmers National Bank. “It’s really interesting to reflect on the growth of our two organizations. We talk a lot about being a community bank, and Akron Children’s has a similar feel culturally and from a service proposition. It’s a community hospital that hasn’t forgotten its roots but still provides the technology and sophistication for pediatric care that’s on par with other health care providers. What they’ve been able to do to stay current and excel and get ahead of the field has just been wonderful to watch.”
Kevin Helmick, president and CEO, Farmers National Bank
Over the years, the entities have been a proud supporter of the Clubs for Kids Golf Classic. Team members volunteer their time on Foundation boards. Branches host customer donation campaigns. And recently, Farmers National Bank Main Office made a $250,000 donation toward the Emergency Department expansion on the Beeghly campus.
“It takes a village and a community to support all the great growth initiatives we’ve had,” said Kevin. “We enjoy seeing the fruits of those investments. I think Akron Children’s does such a great job of taking those investments and making sure they make an impact.”
This impact comes in the form of expanding its services, like opening new Urgent Care locations and bringing more specialty services to the area.
“Both our entities have a servant mentality in communities that are underserved or forgotten,” said Kevin. “Good health care and strong schools are so important. Financial services has its place in there, too, to a lesser extent, but we’re all part of the fabric of American society that helps our communities thrive.”
For the future, Kevin hopes that the groundwork he and his team have established with Akron Children’s Mahoning Valley will last for years to come.
“I hope we continue to grow and manage the way we have, sticking to our cultural bases,” he said. “If we continue to do that, we’ll be partners for a long time. Then the next generation will be able to take the torch and run with it to fulfill the mission of both organizations in the way we serve our clientele and help create vibrant, healthy communities.”
If you’d like to support our 15th anniversary please visit akronchildrens.org/MV15.
