In late June, some major shakeups occurred with the leadership of the Lee Memorial Foundation, the fundraising arm of Dowagiac’s Borgess-Lee Memorial Hospital.

Longtime foundation board Chair Karen Judd stepped down from her position during their June 23 meeting, with Treasurer Tom Carlson being named her replacement. Judd will remain with the foundation board as a trustee.

Judd has been a leader with the local hospital for over 40 years, serving for years as a member of the hospital board before becoming one of the inaugural members of the Lee Memorial Foundation board in the late 1980s. Judd spent more than 20 years as chair of the foundation board, and played a key part in helping to raise millions of dollars worth of new equipment and improvements to the hospital.

Carlson has served on the foundation board for nearly a decade, serving at first as a trustee before being elected as treasurer. In his new role as president, his responsibilities to the organization and to the community are sure to only grow.

For both Judd and Carlson, volunteering their time, energy and passion to Borgess-Lee Memorial Hospital is something born of their desire to see the institution continue to prosper, they said.

As our national healthcare system continues to evolve with the changes to medical insurance, the role that the Lee Memorial Foundation plays in ensuring that Dowagiac area patients receive the best care possible from the local hospital is a paramount as its ever been.

As Carlson pointed out, Borgess-Lee is the type of institution that makes Dowagiac standout from other communities in the region, as well. Not every community, especially one the size of Dowagiac, has access to such medical facilities that close to its residents’ backyards.

The hospital is one of several of these local jewels that make Dowagiac the city it is today. From Southwestern Michigan College, which provides employment to hundreds and education to thousands, to the Dogwood Fine Arts Festival, which draws attention and prestige to the city; these institutions cannot provide the services they do without the dedication of volunteers and contributions from residents.

We encourage our readers to support the institutions they feel make Dowagiac a better place to live, be thatthrough donations, volunteer work, or some other contribution. With your help, we can continue to make this community stand out.

 

Opinions expressed are those of the editorial board consisting of Publisher Michael Caldwell and editors Ambrosia Neldon, Craig Haupert, Ted Yoakum and Scott Novak.