SACHA donates to St. Anthony Community Hospital

WARWICK- On Monday, Sept. 19, Gloria Okon, president of the St. Anthony Community Hospital Auxiliary (SACHA) presented her organization's check for $22,000 to Judy Lindberg, vice president of patient care services for St. Anthony Community Hospital. The donation, proceeds from SACHA's 2004 Annual June Party at Hickory Hill Golf Course, was primarily earmarked for the purchase of new state-of-the-art medication carts. Each year, SACHA members donate hundreds of hours and spend several months planning this major fundraiser. The goals they set are achieved through the generosity of community sponsors, donors and those who purchase tickets to the popular annual event. Guests who attend the June Party enjoy open bar, hors d'oeuvres, buffet dinner, gourmet desserts, music, entertainment and dancing. This year SACHA's donation of $22,000 enabled the hospital to purchase eight new customized medication carts with comprehensive security systems. The 800 series medication carts, manufactured by Lionville Systems, Inc., offer an auto-locking feature which was not available on older equipment. "This is the Cadillac of Med Carts," said nurse Mary Zampella, RN as she demonstrated the new features to SACHA members. Each cart at St. Anthony Community Hospital has been configured to meet the needs of the areas they serve. "The most obvious benefit is that these new carts support our hospital's medication management workflow," said Judy Lindberg, vice president of patient care services. "Our nursing care team was especially impressed with the keyless entry system. By combining the technology of a keyless entry and auto-locking system, the nurses now have everything they need at their fingertips." The compact size, she explained, also allows nurses to move one cart from one room to the next, saving countless steps so that they can spend more time at the patient's bedside. "We wish to thank all our sponsors, the donors, our committees and all our committee chairs and volunteers," said Okon. "We are thrilled that our June Party was a success and that we were able to help purchase this wonderful new equipment for our community hospital." Gloria Okon and Terry Gavan served as co-chairs of SACHA's 2004 June Party. Other committee chairpersons for this year's event were Dorothy Anderson, Peggy Arizmendi, Carolyn Denny, Joanne Graney, Gladys Kaytes, Linda Ridella, Margie Meier-Berry, Monique Momin, Bonni Oswald, Diane Overby, Margaret Petlicka, Linda Ridella and Joan Roche. "We are grateful for this generous gift and for the dedication and hard work performed by all the members of SACHA," said Leah Cerkvenik, executive vice president/administrator of St. Anthony Community Hospital. "Throughout the years, SACHA has been instrumental in helping us purchase the latest equipment so that we can continue to offer the best possible health and wellness services for our community." St. Anthony Community Hospital, a member of Bon Secours Charity Health System, is a non-profit 73-bed hospital providing emergency, medical, surgical, obstetrical/gynecological acute care services to residents of southern Orange County, New York and Sussex County, New Jersey.