HOISINGTON — Clara Barton Hospital Foundation will celebrate 20 years of the community coming together for quality rural health care with its annual fundraiser this June. The golf tournament, dinner and auction is the largest fundraiser.  
“The idea to have a golf tournament, dinner and auction to raise money for the hospital came from the Foundation Board who had only been in existence since 1990,” explains Foundation Executive Director, Michelle Moshier.  
The idea for the first benefit came from  Nadine Jones. “At the time I was active in the Hoisington Jaycees. We had done a golf tournament with an auction to raise money for Jaycee’s and their community supported activities. A Jaycee member had put together a chairman’s planning guide on the event. The Jaycee organization loaned the guide to the foundation board and we took the plan and ran with the idea. There was a lot of trial and error in the beginning, and we just hoped to raise enough money to cover our expenses,” states Jones.
The Foundation Board incorporated with its mission to secure financial aid to the hospital. The board wanted to raise money for x-ray equipment, which was funded by the  first and second annual golf benefit. For a complete listing of projects, visit the foundation’s golf benefit page on the hospital website: www.clarabartonhospital.com.
The hospital is a not-for-profit, critical access hospital. The year’s project is to replace  three patient transport stretchers, one for the emergency trauma room and two for the Operating Room. This project can have a direct positive impact on quality patient care by making sure the hospital has the most up-to-date equipment.  
The ER stretcher provides for maximum weight capacity up to 700 lbs. and allows the ability to x-ray through the cart from head to foot with minimal patient movement. It includes an electric lift system and a 5th wheel mobility (steer-wheel) allowing the cart to be easily managed. It also has an integrated scale for accurate patient weights and an alert system to alert staff to potential patient falls.
Last year’s event netted just over $43,000 and completed the project to replace patient beds.
The procurement team is working to secure items for the silent and live auction. The foundation is grateful for items that have already been donated. Featured in this year’s live auction will be two Branson Missouri Trips to Wyndham Mountain Vista resort on July 31 – Aug. 4, 2013 and Nov. 9 – 13, 2013, donated by Dr. Keith and Becky Ritter.  Also thanks to Matt and Mary Hoisington and C&V Home Improvement, the foundation will have a unique KU item in the live auction. Matt has crafted a one-of-a-kind coffee table with wood flooring from the actual James Naismith basketball court (1995-2005) at KU’s Allen Field House.
This art was built  for the foundation and cannot be purchased in any market. “It has been through the generosity of so many involved with this event, year after year, that has made this fundraising benefit and the hospital what it is today,” said Moshier.
The Golf Tournament will be held Friday, June 14 at Lake Barton Golf Course with tee times beginning at 8 a.m. through 12:50 p.m. The benefit dinner and auction is at the Knights of Columbus Hall with the doors opening at 6 p.m. Advance tickets for the evening are necessary, as only 200 tickets will be sold. Donations can be mailed to P.O. Box 25 Hoisington, KS 67544. For more information call  620-653-5012 or e-mail: mmoshier@clarabarton.hpmin.com.  http://clarabartonhospital.org/index.php?n=Foundation.GolfResults.