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SVHC announced the organization had reached $24 million of its $25 million goal at a press conference on Thursday.

SVHC Asks for Community Help Reaching $25 Million Vision 2020 Goal

By Brian RhodesiBerkshires Staff
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BENNINGTON, Vt. — Southwestern Vermont Health Care has officially raised $24 million as part of its $25 million goal for its Vision 2020 campaign, with plans to fund the last $1 million with community help.  

 

"We are asking the members of our community to lend their support to invest in a new generation of care. The goal is $1 million, and we hope to raise this amount in 6 months," said David Newell, co-chair of the Vision 2020 Public Phase Committee. "We’re on the cusp of a new and exciting future for the hospital and everyone in the tri-state area who turns to SVHC for care."

 

The announcement came at a press conference on Thursday. Money raised for the campaign will go toward the new Kendall Emergency Department, which will be double the size of the current space, and the Hoyt-Hunter Cancer Center, which will have double the number of exam and infusion rooms. 

 

SVHC President and CEO Thomas A. Dee said the current Emergency Department, the oldest such facility in the state, is taking on double the number of patients each year as was intended. 

 

"Our region requires modernized facilities to support the top notch care our exceptional clinicians provide," he said . "The improvements we are making will have a positive impact on the lives of each person in the community and continue to for generations. We are forever grateful for everyone’s support."

 

Andrew King, the other co-chair of the Vision 2020 Public Phase Committee, spoke to the importance of community contributions, no matter the size. 

 

"Every dollar makes a difference. No donation is too small," he said. "The most important thing is to do what you can to help us build a hospital that keeps pace with the care needs of everyone — growing families, aging adults, our sickest, our most vulnerable … All of us."

 

Funding up to this point has primarily come from donations over the last four years, including nearly 300 gifts from private donations and grants. 

 

"We would not be at this stage of the campaign without the generous support of Nancy and Don Kendall, the Hunter Family, the Hoyt Family, Pamela and Richard Ader, Jackie and Tony Marro, Lucinda Thomson and many more members of our regional community and SVHC volunteer leaders," said Tommy Harmon, trustee and chair of the foundation's Vision 2020 Steering Committee. "We are deeply indebted to all of our donors for their faith in our organization and their ability to see the need for facilities that match our clinicians uncompromising level of care they provide to our patients."

 

For more information, visit svhealthcare.org/Vision2020.


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Readsboro Bridge Project Gets $26M Federal Boost

READSBORO, Vt. — The deteriorating Readsboro Memorial Bridge over the Deerfield River is set to be replaced with $25.8 million in federal funds. 
 
The U.S. Department of Transportation announced the award last week, making Readsboro the only recipient in the Northeast for funding in this round of the Rural Surface Transportation Grant Program.
 
The state's congressional delegation, U.S. Sens. Bernie Sanders and Peter Welch, and U.S. Rep. Becca Balin, applauded the investment. The federal funding, made possible by the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law, will improve and help complete street enhancements, create accessible sidewalks, and improve safety in Readsboro. 
 
"Bolstering Vermont's infrastructure is crucial to ensuring the safety, security, and success of families, workers, and people traveling through the Green Mountain State. We're pleased to see this investment of more than $25 million, made possible by the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law, benefit Bennington County," the delegation stated in joint release. "The replacement of the Readsboro Bridge will boost Southern Vermont's critical infrastructure, improve safety and accessibility, and make Readsboro more resilient to extreme weather."
 
Bridge No. 25 was built in 1954, replacing the High Bridge that had been in use for 63 years. The 340-foot-long span cost $400,000 and was dedicated on July 4, 1955, to six Readsboro natives who had died in World War II and Korea. Nearly 2,000 people attended the opening, which included a ribbon cutting by then Gov. Joseph Johnson and a parade with a band and floats and Emma Ross, who at 90 was the town's oldest resident.
 
The new 287-foot bridge will incorporate historic preservation features to honor the character and history of the span and will have a wider sidewalk for pedestrians to cross safely while reducing vehicle traffic. The improved bridge will also be built to better withstand extreme weather events driven by climate change — including Vermont's floods of 2023 and 2024 — with improved drainage systems. 
 
The estimated total cost is $33 million, according to the Vermont Department of Transportation.
 
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