Public Invited to Hospital Celebration

May 28, 2019

William Newton Hospital will celebrate the successful first phase of a capital campaign enabling the expansion of the surgical department with an ‘afternoon in the park’ from 2:00 p.m. to 4:00 p.m. on Sunday, June 2 at the Island Park Performance Venue.

The free, public celebration will recognize donors and volunteers including the hospital auxiliary, campaign leadership, and many others. Retired KAKE-TV news anchor and broadcast journalist Larry Hatteberg, who served as master of ceremonies for the hospital’s groundbreaking ceremony in August 2018, will reprise his role for Sunday afternoon’s festivities.

“It’s fitting for Larry, as a journalist and Winfield native, to help us tell the story of William Newton Hospital moving towards a second century of healthcare excellence,” expressed Annika Morris, William Newton Healthcare Foundation director.

Healthcare in Winfield is of significance to Hatteberg as his mother worked at William Newton Hospital for over 30 years.

Phase one of the surgical department expansion is part of William Newton Hospital’s 10-year master facility plan. This multi-phase plan positions William Newton Hospital as a rural hospital providing quality care and builds on its success model of serving communities in Cowley County and neighboring regions for years to come.

The northeast corner of the hospital (off Park Street) has been the primary focus, where construction is now moving along. With a targeted opening for late 2019, phase one includes a new operating room, pre- and post-operative care units, space for a new cardiac catheterization laboratory (or ‘cath lab’), a chapel, and two waiting areas allowing for all surgical services to be centralized.

In addition to the cath lab, the hospital is working towards the opening of a cardiology clinic this fall in partnership with Heartland Cardiology of Wichita.

Funding for phase one has come in the way of financing and philanthropic gifts. In July of 2018, William Newton Hospital received 12-month financing totaling $9.1 million from three local banks: RCB Bank, Union State Bank, and Community National Bank.

William Newton Healthcare Foundation’s ‘Second Century’ capital campaign set a goal to raise $3 million during the first phase.

Hospital CEO Ben Quinton will announce the final tally Sunday afternoon.

“Anticipate exciting news to be shared at this community-wide event,” hinted Quinton.

The line-up of musical performances includes Clayton Crawford and friends, Jordan Butler, and a group of WNH physicians and employees.

Free popcorn, ice cream, children’s games, and activities for all ages are planned. KSOK Radio is joining the celebration with a live remote and prizes. The afternoon’s festivities are sponsored in part by campaign consultants Rogge + Associates.

“The afternoon in the park is an opportunity to showcase how William Newton Hospital is everyone’s hospital and thank those who have made our surgical department expansion a reality,” Morris emphasized.

Posted in In The News on May 28, 2019