RED BANK – Community spirit, a strong belief in a local institution and extraordinary generosity were celebrated recently as Riverview Medical Center dedicated two significant milestones in its Life. Changing. capital campaign.
The Riverview Medical Center Foundation hosted a dedication ceremony to honor major campaign donors including the Rechnitz, Kolber, Saker, Mulheren, and DiPiero families. Trustees, board members, physicians, and team members gathered to celebrate the opening of the Joan and Robert Rechnitz Conference and Education Center, located on the fifth floor in the Blaisdell Pavilion on the hospital’s campus, and the dedication of the Kolber Family Lobby on the first floor of the Blaisdell Pavilion.
“It’s a pleasure to celebrate the impressive generosity of all the donor families who have helped make this project become a reality,” said Domenic M. DiPiero III, chairman, Riverview Medical Center Foundation. “The community has really come together in support of this critical community resource, Riverview Medical Center.”
In 2010, Riverview announced a $5 million charitable contribution to the medical center from Joan and Robert Rechnitz, founders of the Two River Theater Company. The Rechnitz gift launched the Campaign for Surgical Excellence, and a portion of the gift was used to fund this state-of-the-art conference center, providing a high-tech space outfitted to suit the needs of the medical staff, team members, and the community. The new center will be used by Riverview and the community to host programs and events, such as CPR certification and childbirth classes, ultimately benefiting the communities it serves.
In addition, the center provides the necessary resources to attract superior surgeons with niche specialties who wish to attend educational forums, dedicated lectures, seminars, and symposiums.
“We are very enthusiastic about this new center and the opportunity it provides Riverview to better meet the needs of our physicians and the surrounding communities,” said Timothy J. Hogan, regional president of Riverview Medical Center and Bayshore Community Hospital. “We are truly fortunate to have the support of the Rechnitz family and are grateful Joan and Bob’s philanthropy embraces our mission and the exceptional care provided by Riverview Medical Center’s doctors, nurses, staff, and
volunteers.”
Hogan spoke of the generosity of all the families whose donations made the additions to the medical center a reality. “These are the people who really believe in us.”
In addition to the opening of the Rechnitz Conference Center, Riverview also celebrated the dedication of the new Kolber Family Lobby in the Blaisdell Pavilion. Last year, Riverview announced a $1 million charitable contribution to the hospital from George and Vita Kolber, longtime supporters of Riverview and Meridian Health.
“As the immediate past chairman of the Riverview Medical Center board, George’s leadership and the generosity from the Kolber family helped to ignite this campaign into the wildfire that it has become,” said David Flood, president of the Meridian Health Affiliated Foundations. “We are honored to dedicate the beautiful lobby overlooking the Navesink River to the Kolber family for their extraordinary generosity and tireless giving of themselves throughout the years to the Riverview family.”
To learn more about the center for surgical excellence, or to support the Life. Changing. campaign visit www.RiverviewMedicalCenter.com/LifeChanging.
