Marine Banks give $30,000 for Memorial Hospital fund drive

Memorial Hospital CEO Ada Bair, left, accepts a check for $30,000 from Marine Bank and Trust president, Jerry Bartell, for the hospital’s capital fund campaign.

Marine Bank & Trust has donated $30,000 for 2008 to Memorial Hospital for the health care center's new medical facility.

“The bank also expects to take a look at additional support over the next several years,” said Jerry Bartell, president of Marine Bank & Trust. “We are delighted to participate in the growth and future dynamic plans of Memorial Hospital.”

Memorial Hospital received approval in December 2007 from the Illinois Health Facilities Planning Board to move forward with plans for the new building. The hospital's current, 25-bed facility is now nearly 60 years old and was designed before current safety codes, and confidentiality standards were established. The new site for Memorial Hospital is east of Carthage near the new highway access.

“Throughout our 75-year history we have worked diligently to foster economic growth throughout Hancock County,” said Bartell. “Memorial Hospital is one of the leading employers in our entire region and a leader in economic stimulation as well as providing excellent health care for our residents.”

“The staff, administration and board of directors of Memorial Hospital are deeply grateful to Mr. Bartell and Marine Bank & Trust for this most generous gift,” said Ada Bair, CEO of Memorial. “We are excited about what our new facility will mean to our entire region.”

Founded in Carthage in 1949, Memorial Hospital has an annual payroll of $7 million for nearly 250 employees. The facility has grown in the past two years, with surgeries up 121 percent, emergency department visits up 14 percent to nearly 4,000 annually, outpatients up 16 percent to nearly 50,000 annually and OB deliveries up 62 percent to nearly 100 per year.