Fundraiser Puts Southern Ocean Medical Center Closer To Expansion

A silent auction held last week at the Spray Beach Yacht Club netted $37,641 for the Southern Ocean Medical Center and has put the medical center one step closer to its $10 million goal.

The silent auction committee was headed by Dorothy Hoey of Beach Haven Gardens, Diane Roy of Spray Beach, and Lorrainne Blazewicz of Long Beach Township. The committee collected 130 items, which were placed up for bid, including personal items, crafts, spa packages, and art items.

Past Commodore Joe Zindulis of North Beach Haven, dressed in top hat and tuxedo, served as Master of Ceremonies for the auction segment.  A whiskey cake made in honor of past member Rita Evert, well known throughout the club for her culinary skills, sold for $850.  Sea shell jewelry made by local artisan Frank Pearson sold in excess of $800.

"Participants opened their wallets and hearts for this worthwhile event exceeding our monetary goal by more than five times the anticipated amount,” Hoey said in a press release.  “Spray Beach Yacht Club has committed to continue the donations to SOMC Foundation for the next five years, and is looking forward to another successful event for the 2013 season.”

Phase One of the Southern Ocean Medical center emergency department is scheduled for completion in November of 2012 and Phase 2, which completes the new facility, is scheduled for completion in June of 2013.  The new Emergency Department will be triple the size of the existing facility.  There will be dedicated areas for emergency behavioral health patients as well as a family friendly pediatric care center.

“We are eagerly anticipating this new facility which will change the way emergency services are delivered to our community," Joe Coyle, president of Southern Ocean Medical Center said in a press release.  “The extraordinary efforts of our community as just exemplified by the Spray Beach Yacht Club are vital to helping us to provide a facility and team that will provide the very highest level of emergency care in a modern, comfortable, healing environment.  We are very appreciative of their contribution."