The Moab Healthcare Foundation recently received donations that will benefit local residents.
Two major events, the Skinny Tire Festival and the Red Rock Four Wheelers’ Easter Jeep Safari, directed donations from proceeds raised from the events to help local health care organizations.
The Red Rock 4-Wheelers donation was used to support quality-of-life enhancements for
residents of the Canyonlands Care Center. The donation purchased an aquarium to be installed next to
the common area where residents dine and watch TV.
Barberella Hill, director of nursing at Canyonlands Care Center said, “It may sound a little woo-woo, but aquarium therapy has been researched and found to have numerous positive effects. It gives the residents who take care of the fish purpose and connection on a daily basis and stimulates interaction between residents and employees. It has also been found to help promote nutritional intake, which can often be a problem for residents with dementia.”
Mike Kelso, president of Red Rock 4-Wheelers, stated, “The Red Rock 4-Wheelers have supported the
Friends of Moab Canyonlands Healthcare for several years. We are grateful for the efforts of
the board to expand with this new foundation which will now encompass all the major health
care institutions in Grand County.”
Kelso went on to say, “It is good to see the Moab Healthcare Foundation keeping up with the expanding growth of Grand County.”
The Moab Healthcare Foundation also received a large donation of $13,000 from the Skinny Tire
Festival.
Mark Griffith, organizer of the event, said, “A portion of every registration is a donation to the
people of Moab. Every cyclist appreciates the opportunity to be in Moab, to experience this beautiful
area, and they give back by supporting the health care needs of people who live here.”
Griffith also added, “Our donation to the foundation will primarily support the Infusion Therapy center at Moab Regional Hospital; however, we trust the foundation to look at other needs in the community and to use the money where it is needed the most.”
The Moab Healthcare Foundation was initially created in 2011 to support the Canyonlands Care Center. Last year, the board decided to expand the foundation’s mission and to recruit new board members. It developed a fundraising strategy to support Grand County Hospice, Canyonlands Care Center, the Moab Free Health Clinic, Moab Regional Hospital, Grand County Search and Rescue, and Grand County EMS.
If other health care organizations or needs emerge, the foundation can consider supporting those groups as well.
Currently there are five community members serving on the board: Founding member Tom Edwards,
Bob Jones, Kirstin Peterson, Mike Bynum and Beth Logan.
All of the board members have served on various health care boards in the community, and all said they are dedicated to increasing philanthropic support for health care in this region.
Bynum, who chaired the board of Moab Valley Healthcare Incorporated for more than a decade, said,
“The citizens of Moab have always shown their care for others, from the potash mining disaster in the
1960s to the recent Cinema Court Fire. The foundation intends to carry on the Moab tradition of
generosity by supporting the outstanding organizations in Moab that care for us when we need them
the most.”
“Many donors would like to direct money towards healthcare,” said foundation board chair Jones, “but don’t have the time to look into all of the needs of the different organizations. We can either earmark donations for a specific organization, or we can direct donations towards Moab Healthcare Foundation’s priority areas, depending on the donor’s preferences.”
Those interested in donating to the Moab Healthcare Foundation are directed to call 435-210-0087 or email info@mhfmoab.org. Foundation information may be found by visiting its
website at MoabHealthcareFoundation.org.
Moab Healthcare Foundation receives donations
“The citizens of Moab have always shown their care for others, from the potash mining disaster in the 1960s to the recent Cinema Court Fire. The foundation intends to carry on the Moab tradition of generosity by supporting the outstanding organizations in Moab that care for us when we need them the most.”
