$38,000 Given to Silver Cross Hospital for Surgical Equipment

The Advisory Board recently gave Silver Cross Hospital $38,000. This payment is part of the Advisory Board’s $105,000 pledge to help fund the purchase of new surgical equipment and patient care needs for the hospital.

“We are very grateful to the Advisory Board for donating funds to allow the hospital to purchase state-of-art equipment that will help physicians enhance the care they provide to our patients during surgical procedures,” said Larry Johnson, Vice President of the Foundation at Silver Cross Hospital.

The Advisory Board raises funds for Silver Cross Hospital by operating a resale shop the Encore Shop. Over the past several years, the Advisory Board has donated over $1,000,000 to Silver Cross for the purchase of echocardiography (Echo) machine with transesophageal echocardiography (TEE) probe, X-ray equipment for the Emergency Department, ICU beds, laptop computers for Home Health nurses, dialysis and mammography equipment, surgery carts and instruments, cardiac software, blanket warmer cabinets, and a new van used to transport patients throughout the hospital campus. The group completed a $75,000 pledge to purchase the water feature in the Dralle Serenity Garden outside the new Silver Cross Hospital.

In 1891, 15 women from the hospital's founding organization - Will County Union of King’s Daughters and Sons, were chosen to be the Board of Lady Managers. In 1935, they changed their name to the Advisory Board. Their mission was to raise money for construction and to advise on the formation of the hospital, which opened in 1895 on the eastside of Joliet. After many fund raising events, in 1961 the Advisory Board decided to open a resale shop, called the Encore Shop, in a two-story house across the street from the Emergency Room on the former Joliet campus. Friends, family, hospital employees and the community keep the Encore Shop in business through contributions of clothing, household items, antiques and collectibles. If you’re looking to donate gently used items, the Silver Cross Hospital resale shop—the Encore Shop welcomes donors and shoppers. The Encore Shop is now located at 710 Cedar Crossing Drive, New Lenox in the new Silver Cross Business Center across from the Emergency Department. The Shop is open Tuesdays, Wednesdays, Fridays and the first Saturday of the month from10 a.m. to 3 p.m. Cash only. All proceeds benefit Silver Cross Hospital. Donations are now being accepted and can be dropped off at the Encore Shop or outside Silver Cross in the collection bin on the south side of the hospital.

The following individuals serve as Advisory Board Officers: Sandy Alaimo, President; Kathy Ullian, Vice President; Kay Hegarty, Second Vice President; Roberta Rand, Recording Secretary; Joan Landry, Corresponding Secretary; Elaine Boros, Board Treasurer and Kay Collins, Shop Treasurer.

For more information, call the Encore Shop at (815) 300-7642 or Volunteers Services at Silver Cross Hospital at (815) 300-7117.

Photo caption: l-r: Larry Johnson, Vice President of the Foundation at Silver Cross Hospital; receives a check for $38,000 from Elaine Boros, Treasurer of the Advisory Board, and Kathy Ullian, Vice President of the Advisory Board. This payment is part of the Advisory Board’s $105,000 pledge to purchase new surgical equipment.