Bayshore Medical Center Foundation Virtual Oktoberfest Community Celebration Raises $100,000 at Bayshore Medical Center

The annual Hackensack Meridian Bayshore Medical Center Foundation Oktoberfest Community Celebration, held virtually on Oct. 29, raised $100,000 for the COVID-19 Emergency Relief Fund and construction of the future Dr. Robert H. Harris Emergency Care Center at Hackensack Meridian Bayshore Medical Center in Holmdel. In lieu of the in-person celebration due to COVID-19, the foundation live-streamed a program featuring updates from Hackensack Meridian Health leadership on the Emergency Care Center project and tributes to our health care heroes who continue to fight COVID-19 on the frontlines.

The event was recorded and therefore, community members who missed it can still view the program at bit.ly/BMCFVirtualEvent2020. There is no cost to view the program, however donations in support of the medical center and Oktoberfest Community Celebration can still be made at HackensackMeridianHealth.org/BMCOktoberfest

“Thank you to everyone who tuned into our virtual event,” says Frank Citara, MBA, chief hospital executive at Bayshore Medical Center. “We hope it offered valuable information, a little levity from your daily stresses, a peak into the world of our health care heroes and most importantly, moved you to support the Dr. Robert H. Harris Emergency Care Center, or contribute to our COVID-19 Relief Fund. We are privileged to care for our community and honored to be the recipients of gifts that help us provide the best care possible.”

The event, chaired by Carol Stillwell and Mary Ann Larkin, also featured a culinary demonstration featuring Chef Richie Gomes from Bell Market in Holmdel, as well as a pumpkin decorating contest, the winners of which will be announced at HackensackMeridianHealth.org/BMCOktoberfest on Nov. 13 in two categories: adults and children under 12.

“COVID-19 has forced us to isolate from friends and family, but events like the Bayshore Oktoberfest Community Celebration have the unique ability to bring us together in support of a common goal,” says Carol Stillwell, Bayshore Medical Center trustee and event co-chair. “It was an honor to again co-chair this special event with my sister and to rally behind our local medical center at a time when support has never been more crucial. Thank you for sharing in this moment with us and for your contributions to this event and wonderful hospital.”

Among those who answered the call for support via event sponsorships were the medical staff at Bayshore Medical Center; Stillwell-Hansen, Inc.; Carol Stillwell and Mary Ann Larkin; Torcon, Inc.; the Bayshore Medical Center Foundation Board of Trustees; and donations from community members.

“Bayshore Medical Center is my local hospital and I was honored to be able to co-chair this fantastic event once again,” said Mary Ann Larkin. “It’s incumbent upon all of us who may need the medical center’s services at some point in time, to help it be the best it can be. For everyone who sponsored the event, made a gift, participated in the pumpkin decorating contest or just tuned in to learn about the medical center’s growth, thank you.”

Gifts to the Bayshore Oktoberfest Community Celebration will help to provide enhancements to the Dr. Robert H. Harris Emergency Care Center. This can include the purchase of the latest technology, the addition of negative pressure rooms, which haven proven vital to stop the spread of COVID-19 within the hospital; additional accommodations in family waiting rooms; or other elements that help to make a patient more comfortable during their stay. Additionally, funds raised from the event will contribute to COVID-19 relief, helping the medical center to financially recover from the significant and unanticipated expenses associated with fighting the virus.

“As a community leader and first responder, I saw firsthand just how severely COVID-19 impacted our community and Bayshore Medical Center,” says Serena DiMaso, Esq. chair, Bayshore Medical Center Board of Trustees. “This virus has shown us just how important it is to be prepared for anything and contributions to this event help make that possible. With the new Emergency Care Center slated to open in late 2021, and COVID-19 still impacting our friends and family, there has never been a more important time to support your community hospital. To everyone who has already made a gift, I want to thank you. To everyone considering one, but aren’t sure how or what to give, I implore you to reach out to the Bayshore Medical Center Foundation who will work with you to make a contribution that works best for your personal financial situation.”

“We understand that the pandemic has financially impacted many people within the community and our hearts are with all of those families,” says Joseph Stampe, president and chief development officer, Hackensack Meridian – Meridian Health Foundation, to which Bayshore Medical Center Foundation belongs. “But if you are one of the fortunate to not have been personally or financially affected, I ask you to please consider support of Bayshore Medical Center. You and your family may need the hospital someday.  If you are considering a gift and we can help to answer any questions, please reach out and start the conversation.”

For additional information about Bayshore Medical Center Foundation, or to discuss a potential donation, please contact Marisa Medina, director of development for Bayshore Medical Center Foundation, at 848-303-5803 or by email at Marisa.Medina@hmhn.org.

ABOUT BAYSHORE MEDICAL CENTER

Bayshore Medical Center is a 211-bed not-for-profit community hospital located in Holmdel, New Jersey, providing health care programs and services in all major medical disciplines, including: emergency medicine, cardiac catheterization, surgical services, wound care, sleep services, diagnostic imaging, women's services with digital mammography, as well as a designated primary stroke center. Its Center for Bariatrics is one of the most comprehensive in the region offering free informational sessions, pre-surgical education and evaluation, personal guidance through the surgical process, nutritional support, exercise components and support groups. For more information, visit www.bayshoremedicalcenter.org.