Islanders Can Make Peace Island Medical Center Their Own

Benches and bricks may be personally dedicated to benefit PeaceHealth Medical Center on San Juan Island

By Amy Cloud of PeaceHealth

Inscribed bricks and dedicated garden benches will provide personal messages and memorials from Islanders at the new PeaceHealth Peace Island Medical Center. The bricks will cover the outdoor plaza adjacent to the main lobby and the garden benches will provide outdoor respites throughout the site. Samples of the bricks and the bench will be on display and available for purchase at the PeaceHealth Peace Island booth in the main building at the San Juan County Fair.

“This is an opportunity for all Islanders to be part of the history of healthcare on San Juan Island,” said Tom Cable, Co-chair of the PeaceHealth Peace Island Medical Center Steering Committee. “Each family’s personalized brick or garden bench will be a permanent element of the new medical center.”

The bricks will be deeply engraved, filled and sealed so that the messages will be legible for generations to come. About 1200 bricks are needed to cover the outdoor plaza. Benches and landscaping will add to the ambiance of this restful area.

The benches, each with a dedication plaque, will be placed in the gardens and along the paths throughout the PeaceHealth Peace Island site. They will be available with and without backs. The benches are being locally made and will be constructed of island cedar. Patients, staff, visitors and all Islanders will use the benches while enjoying the beauty of the site.

Construction is underway for PeaceHealth Peace Island. A local fundraising campaign, under the leadership of the San Juan Island Community Foundation, is ongoing. To date, over $9.5 million has been pledged, and Islanders are working to meet the $10 million local philanthropy commitment toward funding the $30 million dollar cost of building and equipping the new medical center. PeaceHealth is providing $20 million in funding.

For further information about the bricks and garden benches, visit the PeaceHealth Peace Island booth at the San Juan County Fair, or contact the San Juan Island Community Foundation at info@sjicf.com or 378-1001. Additional material about PeaceHealth Peace Island Medical Center is available at www.peacehealth.org/peace-island.

San Juan Island Community Foundation was established in 1994 by a group of visionary island residents who sought a way to encourage and support the work of local nonprofit organizations. The Foundation explores the needs and concerns of the community, looking for both traditional and innovative ideas. By pooling donations from generous Islanders, the Foundation makes grants to help address those needs. The Foundation also identifies and provides leadership in meeting a variety of community challenges. Donors to the Foundation are assured that their charitable giving makes a difference in the quality of life on our island.

PeaceHealth is a Washington-based not-for-profit healthcare system serving multiple rural and urban communities in Washington, Oregon and Alaska. Founded by the Sisters of St. Joseph of Peace, PeaceHealth has provided exceptional medicine and compassionate care to Northwest communities for more than a century, including serving the needs of small and remote communities through the operation of three successful Critical Access Hospitals. Research published in the Joint Commission Journal on Quality and Patient Safety ranked PeaceHealth as one of the top five quality of care healthcare systems in the country, and the leading system in the West. PeaceHealth is frequently named as one of the region’s best employers. For more information, visit www.peacehealth.org .