LCCHC celebrates 70th anniversary

CHELAN - Lake Chelan Hospital and Clinics celebrated their 70th anniversary on Saturday, Nov. 3 at the Lake Chelan Chamber of Commerce along with employees, commissioners and locals.

“We are very fortunate to have an incredible community hospital ... I am very excited for the future and what that looks like,” said Mike Steele, MC for the event.

Steele thanked the Chamber for helping set up the event, as well as commissioners present, the Health and Wellness Foundation and the Guilds for their commitment to the hospital.

As promised updates on the new hospital project were given by the project manager.

“It’s thrilling to me that we actually have some funding in place to go forward, “ said  Barry Leahy Project Manager of the new hospital building.

However, there are two things that need to be completed in order to move on. “We have to finish design of the hospital and we have to get it permitted by the City of Chelan, the Department of Health in the state of Washington and USDA,” stated Leahy.

With this being said,  the team would like to start construction on Oct. 1 of next year and complete the project by May 1, 2021.

Recognized that morning were various community members along with 30 years plus employees to the hospital.
Nurse Susan Fisher, who has worked in the original hospital and the current one was also acknowledge with a tiara, a sash and flowers. Dr. Charles James (retired) was among other doctors also present and they were applauded by all.

“This is a great place to live, this is a great place to work ... it’s nice to take care of all community members,” said Dr. Tobe Harberd, who was named the 2018 Outstanding Rural Health Practitioner earlier this year.

Dr. Keri Bergeson of Columbia Valley Community Health briefly talked about the Resident Program with the University of Washington, which will be starting up soon.

“We got the past, the present and the future right here under one roof,” said Board Chair Mary Signorelli.