Hospital matches $2 million challenge grant

Sonoma Valley Hospital announced today it has reached an important milestone, raising funds to match a $2 million challenge grant from the Vadasz family. Combined with other recent community gifts, the hospital has now raised $8.9 million towards the $11 million needed to complete the ongoing expansion of the new hospital and its state-of-the art emergency care center.

Last November, Les and Judy Vadasz challenged Sonoma Valley Hospital to raise $2 million for the Capital Campaign for Emergency Care by this September. By spring, the hospital had raised the first $1 million towards that challenge which was matched by the Vadasz family.

The Hospital’s Campaign Cabinet announced today it had raised the second $1 million to complete the challenge grant from the Vadasz Family Fund, an advised fund of the Silicon Valley Community Foundation.

“We are proud to be a part of such a generous and giving community,” Les and Jusy Vadasz said in a statement. “We knew our community would join us in supporting this important campaign and we are thrilled that the challenge was met so quickly.”

The Sonoma Valley Hospital Capital Campaign for Emergency Care is raising funds to close the $11 million gap in actual costs and the $35 million general obligation bond (GOB) approved by Sonoma voters in 2008. New seismic standards require most California hospitals to retrofit, rebuild or close by 2013.

“Thanks to the GOB plus $11 million in philanthropic support from the community, Sonoma Valley Hospital will meet this deadline,” according to Campaign Director Harmony Plenty.

Included in the project are a new central utility plant, east/west wing infrastructure upgrades, west wing seismic upgrades, infrastructure for electronic health records, expanded parking, electrical upgrades, and the new wing for a new state-of-the-art Emergency Care Center and Surgery Center.

“This is a giant step forward toward the completion of our campaign to provide superior health care to all Somomans,” said David Good, who co-chairs the fundraising Campaign Cabinet with Simon Blattner “It could not have happened without the generosity and dedication of so many.”

Hospital CEO Kelly Mather said, “This is a true testament to the dedication and generosity of the community as well as a demonstration of just how important our hospital is to the residents of Sonoma Valley. We hope all Sonomans will contribute at some level to help us reach our goal.”

For information about the Capital Campaign for Emergency Care, please call at (707) 935-5070.