Friday, June 12, 2009 10:33 PM CDT
Friends of St. Anthony's dedicate and bless Healing Garden
By the JG/T-C
editorial@jg-tc.com
EFFINGHAM — On May 13, the Friends of St. Anthony’s Memorial Hospital took time to recognize and appreciate those who have contributed to the Friends during 2008, according to a press release from the hospital.
Despite the rain that threatened to put a damper on the occasion, the Friends and their supporters also blessed and dedicated St. Anthony’s Memorial Hospital’s new Healing Garden at the event.
Donor appreciation social
Each year, the Friends of St. Anthony’s take time during the hospital’s celebration of National Hospital Week to honor those who have supported the organization over the past year. The Friends honored those who contributed to the Friends of St. Anthony’s 2008 Annual Appeal for the hospital’s Mother/Baby Home Care Program, as well as those who supported the Friends’ Hope & Healing Capital Campaign in 2008.
Those recognized at the social were among the first supporters to the Hope & Healing Campaign, which is an ongoing campaign to raise funds for a new Center for Advanced Imaging.
Healing Garden dedication
During the social, guests were invited to attend a blessing and dedication service for the Friends of St. Anthony’s Healing Garden. More than 160 people gathered in the hospital’s Heart Care Center waiting room for the blessing and dedication service led by Father Ralph Zetzl, O.F.M., hospital chaplain, and concelebrated by the Rev. Monsignor Leo Enlow of St. Anthony Catholic Church.
In 2007, the Friends of St. Anthony’s raised more than $250,000 for the creation of the Healing Garden through support from employees, individuals, businesses and organizations, including a lead gift of $100,000 from the Hospital Sisters of St. Francis.
The Healing Garden, located between the hospital’s heart care center and chapel, includes a winding, wheelchair-accessible path, benches, and lush plants to ensure privacy and serenity for those visiting the area. Water features add a soothing, meditative element and statuary, including a six-foot-tall St. Francis statue, are located throughout the garden and hospital grounds as reminders of St. Anthony’s Christian heritage and history.
A main focal point of the Healing Garden is the Grotto. St. Anthony’s Grotto is a replica of the Grotto at Lourdes, France, where Mary the Blessed Virgin appeared 18 times to Bernadette Soubirous beginning in February 1858. Stones from the hospital’s old Grotto were carefully removed and incorporated into a new Grotto and the landscape of the garden. The statues of Mary and Saint Bernadette were refurbished and placed in the new Grotto. The Grotto is dedicated in honor and respect to the Hospital Sisters of St. Francis who founded and sponsor St. Anthony’s Memorial Hospital.
Donations are still being accepted for the maintenance and expansion of the Healing Garden, as well as the Hope & Healing Campaign. For more information about these projects or to make a donation, call Donna Niemerg, development associate, at 347-1854.
Family makes special trip
Although Gilbert and Barbara Lovio and their son Ron live in California, they did not want to miss the dedication and blessing of St. Anthony’s Healing Garden. The couple has a soft place in their hearts for St. Anthony’s, since they know their son Ron would not be here today were it not for the care of St. Anthony’s staff.
In 1976, the Lovio family (which includes Gilbert, his wife Barbara, and their four children) were on a cross-country family vacation when their son Ron, 8 years old, complained of stomach pains. As it worsened, they decided that they better get him to a hospital, which was St. Anthony’s. During exploratory surgery, it was discovered that Ron had a six-inch appendix wrapped around his colon. The surgeon, Dr. Louis Beis, had to take some time to remove it.
Due to a storm that night, the power went out during Ron’s surgery. The hospital went to their back-up generators and Dr. Beis and surgery staff were able to remove Ron’s appendix and save his life.
The Lovios were touched not only by the skill and care of the hospital’s doctors and nurses but also by the compassion of the sisters. Barbara explained, “We were staying in a hotel with our three other children while Ron recovered. The sisters sent over a baby sitter to care for our other kids so we could be with Ron, and wouldn’t let us pay for the sitter.
“Everybody was just so welcoming and wonderful to us.”
The Lovios were also taken with the friendliness of the city of Effingham. In a letter to the editor that they wrote in 1976 after they returned home, the Lovios said, “We cannot begin to tell you how appreciative we are for all the love and friendship we received from everyone. From Mrs. Mitchell of FISH of your volunteer group to the waitresses at the restaurants, everyone was so friendly…It goes without saying that you have a fantastic hospital there. Dr. Beis, Dr. Chalstrom, all of the nurses, volunteers, and office help were so wonderful to us….There is no way for me to write personally to everyone we met that week, so I wanted to express my thanks to you. You have beautiful people!”
Even all these years later, the Lovio’s wanted to honor those who worked to save Ron. So they donated a block in the Healing Garden that says, “Thank You for Saving Our Son, Ronnie Lovio — July 28, 1976 — Santa Paula, CA.” The Lovios said they will always be grateful to St. Anthony’s sisters and staff for providing great care to save their son’s life and offering compassion in their time of need.
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christine kessler wrote on Jun 17, 2009 9:04 PM: