Volunteer group raises money for Hamilton hospital

There are few fundraising efforts The Colleagues of Fort Hamilton Hospital haven’t tried over the years. The group of volunteers has sold artistic prints of flowers, started a short-lived hors d’oeuvre business for holiday gatherings, operated a thrift store for several decades, organized an annual festival and water ski show on The Great Miami River and more.

Since the group was started in 1982 to benefit the hospital, all these various efforts have added up to a total more than $1.5 million raised to date. The money helps pay for new medical equipment and devices or goes toward programs such as cardiology or women’s care.

“I’m most impressed with the pride we’ve created in the community for the hospital,” said Jackie Parrish, the Colleagues’ first president and volunteer.

Some fundraisers were more successful than others — the water ski show culminated in a national competition — but the volunteers have continued to try new ways to raise money for the hospital’s needs.

For example, the Colleagues also now organize a Ticket to Hollywood-themed gala each year that in 2015 garnered $30,000 to help the cardiology department buy new equipment, according to the hospital.

In the late 1970s, Fort Hamilton Hospital launched its 50th anniversary capital campaign and the funds helped pay for the demolition of the original 1929 building and construction of the new patient tower, according to the group.

The Colleagues were formed shortly afterwards in the early 1980s at the encouragement of the hospital’s then-administrator in response to the inaugural campaign’s success. Hopes were to build on the momentum the campaign created to benefit the hospital and created a group focused on generating support from the community for the health care operations.

“I think the success of the campaign and the community involvement spun off this idea of the need for community engagement,” said Sonja Kranbuhl, director of the Fort Hamilton Hospital Foundation.

Some efforts proved to be poor money makers such as making appetizers in a home kitchen, Parrish said.

The Colleagues’s thrift store, Bargain Bungalow, closed at the end of 2015 on Main Street. But when it first opened in 1985 on Eaton Avenue across from the hospital, it was one of the few re-sale stores in the city and its biggest customers were hospital employees, said Ann Bressler, who ran the store. It later moved in about 2000 to the Main Street location.

“The people in the community who came in, they knew the proceeds benefited the hospital,” Bressler said.

But other ideas lasted decades, such as DamFest, which was started after a low level dam opened on the river and was held annually for about 10 years. The first show lured a competitive ski team to town even though there was no ramp to enter the water. So the colleagues, with some help, brought gravel in and built one, Parrish said.

For more information about The Colleagues and how to volunteer, call 513-867-5492.

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