The Emergency and Surgery Departments at Samaritan Pacific Communities Hospital will receive new equipment early next year, thanks to a record $85,000 raised by the Pacific Communities Health Foundation’s 21^st Annual Festival of Trees. The hospital plans to purchase four state-of-the-art stretcher beds for the Emergency Department and a sophisticated defibrillator for the Surgery Department – equipment that was beyond the scope of the hospital’s yearly budget. Ursula Marinelli, executive director of the foundation stated “We are thrilled by the generosity of our community. This was the most successful fundraising gala ever, and we are delighted to purchase much-needed new equipment that enhances patient safety and comfort.”

The new stretcher beds are wider and more comfortable for patients, offer power lifts, patient-accessible comfort controls, and will reduce the risk to both patient and staff during transport. The new defibrillator provides technologically advanced monitoring and diagnostic details allowing for rapid responses to patients with cardiac events. In addition to money raised for the hospital, gala attendees purchased three uniquely decorated Christmas trees during the live auction and donated them, along with hundreds of dollars’ worth of children’s gifts, to the Children’s Advocacy Center, Samaritan House and the Newport Public Library. Marinelli added “Many individuals and businesses throughout the community decorated trees, donated items for the auction and helped to make this event a success in so many ways. The festival is truly a community wide labor of love.”