HURON, S.D. – The Huron Regional Medical Center (HRMC) board of directors recently voted to double the community challenge match to $100,000 to build a healthcare scholarship fund in honor of the late Dr. Paul Hohm, according to Dr. Karl Blessinger, board chairman for HRMC.
The board established the Dr. Paul and Carol Hohm Healthcare Scholarship Fund in January of this year with a $100,000 contribution and a $50,000 challenge match to the community to build the fund principal quickly and make scholarship funds available sooner.
“The community has responded in a tremendous way by honoring the late Dr. Paul Hohm with gifts of $84,000 to date,” said Rob Timm, CFRE, executive director of the HRMC Foundation. “This additional $50,000 match is sure to build the fund balance to a level where interest income can reach the goal more quickly.”
The scholarship fund is managed by the HRMC Foundation, and scholarship funds will be distributed once the fund begins earning a minimum of $50,000 interest income per year. Any contributions received before end of the year will be matched dollar for dollar up to $100,000, according to Timm.
“Dr. Paul was a strong promoter of medical education and also a life-long supporter of Huron and HRMC,” said Blessinger. “This scholarship fund honors his commitment by helping to ensure the availability of needed healthcare professionals for the community.”
Interest income from the newly-created endowment will fund scholarships or educational assistance for students pursuing medical degrees in a variety of physician specialties, as well as other healthcare careers such as nursing, pharmacy, psychology, radiology or therapy. Recipients will commit the first five years of their practice to serving Beadle County.
“Medical education is expensive – and recruiting medical professionals is challenging,” said John Single, president and CEO for HRMC. “This fund will continue Dr. Hohm’s mission at the same time enabling local young people to pursue a career in healthcare or a dream of practicing medicine in their home community.”
One-time gifts, multiyear pledges or asset contributions will be matched dollar for dollar by the HRMC board of directors up to $100,000. The challenge match will remain open through December 31, 2007. Community members interested in contributing to the fund can pledge securely online at www.hrmcfoundation.org or contact the Foundation executive director, Rob Timm, at 353-6315.
About Huron Regional Medical Center:
HRMC provides state-of-the-art health care with a caring, compassionate touch to residents in Huron, Beadle County and six surrounding counties in the region. As a non-profit, private corporation, profits are reinvested directly into the hospital for such items as new or updated equipment and expanded programs. HRMC employs approximately 245 people from the area. For more information, visit HRMC’s Web site at www.huronregional.org.