Community residents involved with hospital construction project

WARWICK - As part of its modernization and expansion program, St. Anthony Community Hospital is doubling the size of its emergency department and adding a one-story patient care unit to the eastern end of the hospital. The purpose of the project is to accommodate the growth of the community as well as developments in health care. When completed, the result will be an ability to provide more people in this area with quality and expanded services. Holt Construction Management of Pearl River is overseeing the project. The 80-year old company was selected because of its long history of hospital work and track record of keeping the doors open while constructing emergency rooms and operating suites. The company also hires local workers. “Our company estimator for this project, Harry Philips, is a Warwick resident,” said Sherman Mann, Holt’s field superintendent. “And almost everyone who works on this site is from Orange County or the Vernon, New Jersey area.” Carpenter Tom Dekoker and his wife, Joan, a teacher at Park Avenue School, also are longtime Warwick residents. Their two sons, Tom, a New York City Police cfficer, and Peter, a college student, were both raised in Warwick. “My son Tom was born at St. Anthony Community Hospital,” Dekoker said. “It was one of the best experiences in our lives. This is our family hospital. You couldn’t meet nicer people than the people who work at this hospital.” According to the hospital’s press office, the $9.7 million project will enable the hospital to accommodate more new technology in order to continue attracting the best physicians and staff while increasing space for out-patients services along with inpatient and Emergency Department capacity. There also will be important upgrades made to the infrastructure serving the facility, such as electrical, heating and cooling improvements. “This is an exciting time for us,” said Leah Cerkvenik, Executive vice President/Administrator of St. Anthony Community Hospital. “With a long history of strong personal and family ties in Orange County, I have been eager to expand the services in the area. I am very excited about what this modernization and expansion can offer to everyone. And I appreciate all the support we have received from our community.” St. Anthony Community Hospital is part of the Bon Secours Charity Health System, which also includes Bon Secours Community Hospital in Port Jervis and Good Samaritan Hospital in Suffern.