SVHC celebrates 100th with Bennington gala
Southwestern Vermont Health Care,(left): Michael Brady, DDS, the 2018 Vision Award Honoree for Health Care Leadership. (right): SVHC Board of Trustees Chair Tommy Harmon (right) presents the 2018 Vision Award for Distinguished Community Service to Susan Hunter for the Hunter Family.Vermont Business Magazine Southwestern Vermont Health Care (SVHC) hosted a sold-out crowd of more than 420 people at Centennial Gala on June 9 at the Hubbell Homestead in Bennington. The date was chosen to correspond with the eve of the hospital’s 100th birthday.The 2018 Vision Awards, which honor recipients for their efforts to advance the health system’s vision of healthier communities, were presented by Tommy Harmon, chair of the SVHC Board of Trustees. Michael Brady, DDS, received the 2018 Health Care Leadership Award, and Susan Hunter accepted the 2018 Distinguished Community Service Award on behalf of the Hunter Family.“This is an unprecedented moment in our history,” said Tommy Harmon, chair of the SVHC Board of Trustees. “This event celebrates our talented, dedicated medical staff and nurses, our loyal community members, and all that we can accomplish together.”On June 10, 1918, Putnam Memorial Hospital, now known as Southwestern Vermont Health Care (SVHC), opened to patients. A century later that 30-bed hospital has grown into one of New England’s leading rural healthcare systems.“A hundred years of caring for generation after generation in Bennington County and beyond is certainly a milestone worth celebrating,” said Thomas A. Dee, FACHE, SVHC’s president and CEO “Equally worthy of celebration is what SVHC is today—one of the best and most innovative community health care systems in the region—and how we are growing our services to meet the needs of the future.”In addition to the awards, dinner, and dancing, the event included special Centennial observances, including a birthday cake and “Happy Birthday.”“We have a long history of extraordinary partnerships, starting with our founding family and benefactors, The Putnams,” said Thomas A. Dee, president and CEO of SVHC. “We are grateful for that tremendous beginning and for our partners of today—our hardworking medical staff and nurses, Dartmouth-Hitchcock, our generous donors, and patients themselves. By working together, we fulfill our mission now and secure our legacy as a provider of exceptional care and comfort for the people we serve.”The event was made possible through generous support of many donors and sponsors, including Dartmouth-Hitchcock, MACK Molding, Jerome Construction, the Richard and Pamela Ader Foundation, Walker S. Kimball, Anesthesiology Associates of Bennington, The Bank of Bennington, Mr. and Mrs. Tom Dee, John and Deborah Larkin, Mazzone Hospitality, Mr. Anthony Veterinary Hospital, Rowley Agency, Salem Dentistry, SVMC Orthopedics, TD Bank, and many others. The event raised more than $150,000 in support of health care in our region.The SVHC Foundation’s next Centennial event is the Jingle Bell, which will be held on the evening of Saturday, December 1, 2018, at the Equinox Resort in Manchester Village, VT. For information about attending or sponsoring, call the SVHC Foundation at 802-447-5017. About: Southwestern Vermont Health Care (SVHC) is a comprehensive, preeminent, health care system providing exceptional, convenient, and affordable care to the communities of Bennington and Windham Counties of Vermont, eastern Rensselaer and Washington Counties of New York, and northern Berkshire County in Massachusetts. SVHC includes Southwestern Vermont Medical Center (SVMC), Southwestern Vermont Regional Cancer Center, the Centers for Living and Rehabilitation, and the SVHC Foundation. SVMC includes 25 primary and specialty care practices.Source: BENNINGTON, VT—July 7, 2018— Southwestern Vermont Health Care. For more information, visit svhealthcare.org(link is external).