Members of the Women’s Board stand in front of the new ADA-compliant playground on the Akron campus that they helped finance through a $75,000 donation. The facility isn’t just a community attraction; it’s a community extension of the hospital. Accommodating approximately 30 patients per day, it’s an important outdoor venue for children undergoing therapy in a number of rehabilitative capacities.
As we enter Women’s History Month, Akron Children’s proudly celebrates the extraordinary contributions of its Women’s Board, a group of dedicated volunteers whose legacy of service stretches over a century. The roots of the Women’s Board reach back to 1890, when two circles of the King’s Daughters, a women’s service organization, founded the Akron Day Nursery. This simple act of caring for the children of working mothers laid the foundation for what would become Akron Children’s Hospital. Today, the Women’s Board continues the legacy of its founders, ensuring that no child goes without the care they need.
Championing children’s health
In recognition of their tireless efforts, the Women’s Board was recently awarded the prestigious Champion for Children Award by the hospital. This honor speaks volumes about the impact they have made on the lives of countless children. Their contributions range from substantial financial gifts (totaling more than $15 million) to countless volunteer hours, supporting a wide range of initiatives, including:
- Renovation of the rehabilitative services department: The Board’s $1.5 million gift helped children with traumatic injuries and disabilities receive the best possible care.
- Mental health support: Recognizing the growing need for mental health services, the Board has provided crucial support for The Lois and John Orr Family Behavioral Health Center. Since 2009, members of the Women’s Board have helped make follow up calls to patients seen in the emergency department’s Psychiatric Intake Response Center.
- Building on the Promise campaign: Their $1.5 million contribution helped construct the Kay Jewelers Pavilion and its Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU), ensuring the most advanced care for critically ill newborns.
- Community outreach: The Board’s dedication extends beyond the hospital walls, supporting programs like Home Safe Home, an injury prevention program for Akron Public Schools’ second graders and the Garden of Hope and Healing.
Members of the Women’s Board help run and volunteer in the hospital’s gift shop.
More than just donors
The Women’s Board is more than just a group of donors. They are active volunteers, advocates and champions for children’s health. As the founding entity of the hospital, the Women’s Board has a unique role in the governance of the hospital. Its 5 officers serve on the board of directors as well as many hospital board committees.
.Joan Lauck, second vice president and chair of the strategic focus committee, joined the Women’s Board in 2009 after leaving her full-time job with the Akron Art Museum.
“I wanted to spend more time with my 3 children but also wanted to continue to make an impact on the community,” she said. “The Women’s Board provided me with a great opportunity to be involved and give back.”
Joan took over the Barkers project shortly after the program’s launch.
The Charity Ball recognizes and honors the participating families for their commitment to the community. Since its inception in 1895, the Charity Ball has raised hundreds of thousands of dollars and allows the Women’s Board to provide services and fund programs in support of the hospital’s 3 promises: to treat every child as we would our own; to treat others as they would like to be treated; and to turn no child away for any reason.
“It was exciting to see kids receive a “furry friend” to hold and comfort them during their hospital stay,” she said. “This project has become so popular that the fund to support Barkers currently stands at more than $300,000.”
In 2019, Lisa Bandwen, secretary of the Women’s Board, was asked by a close friend if she would be interested in joining.
“The timing was perfect,” she said. “I was looking for a place to give back to the greater Akron community after my volunteer work at my kids’ schools had come to an end.”
Her favorite memory is chairing the Children’s Tree of Lights committee in 2020 during COVID.
“We had to pivot to a virtual event for the first time ever. So many committee members worked tirelessly to bring a virtual event to life at a time when the world was shut down,” she said. “We were very proud the event reached over 6,500 people and raised more than $15,000 for the hospital.”
Barkers, a stuffed dog, is a collaboration between the Women’s Board , the Friends of Akron Children’s and the Holiday Tree Festival volunteers. This ongoing program, supported by annual dues and other fundraisers, ensures that patients receive Barkers upon their admission to the hospital.
Lisa said she also find volunteering in the gift shop rewarding.
“Sometimes it involves comforting weary parents with a kind word. Other times, a balloon puts a smile on a child’s face after a ‘scary’ procedure,” she said. “No matter what the volunteer shift brings on a given day, I always leave feeling blessed to have made a small difference.”
Barb Varley, who is the current president, joined the Women’s Board in 2015 as a way to give back to the hospital that provided high-quality care for her sons.
“My fondest memories include interacting with patients, families and employees in the gift shop,” she said. “Even with a houseful of teenage boys, my day was always readjusted after volunteering and seeing what other families were dealing with.”
As we celebrate Women’s History Month, the members of the Women’s Board serve as a powerful reminder of the impact women can have on their communities. Their dedication to children’s health is an enduring legacy that continues to inspire and shape the future of Akron Children’s.
