Seeking 24-hour facility, commissioners launch Pike County Medical Foundation
Milford. At the Pike County Commissioners meeting on Dec. 8, the commissioners announced the establishment of Pike County Medical Foundation to support medical services, possibly including a “micro-hospital.” Also, Joan Edel, care manager for Pike County Area Agency on Aging, announced their participation in the Subaru Share the Love event.
| 14 Dec 2022 | 06:48
Left to right: Commissioner Tony Waldron, Commissioner Ronald R. Schmalzle and Commissioner Matthew Osterberg, handing a $2 million check to Greater Pike Community Foundation Executive Director Jenni Hamill, standing with Gail Shuttleworth, Jessica Zufall, and Robert Martin. (
)
Announcing the Subaru Share the Love contribution offer were, left to right, Commissioner Tony Waldron, Commissioner Matthew M. Osterberg, Bob Skibber, Cherie Bland, Joan Edel, and Commissioner Ronald R. Schmalzle
Plans are under way to have Northwell Health open two urgent care centers in Pike County, Commissioner Matthew Osterberg said at the Dec. 8 Pike County Commissioners meeting.
“This is a formal agreement. They have signed leases and they are moving ahead,” said Osterberg. “This is really happening and we’ve worked diligently. Everybody always had the mission in this community to build better medical services.”
Hopes for a “micro-hospital”
The next step in the commissioners’ plan has been creation of the Pike County Medical Foundation to support having medical providers, as well as Northwell, in bringing more services to the county. The commissioners used $2 million of American Recovery Plan (ARP) money to start the foundation, Osterberg said.
“This foundation, we feel, is a way to get the public excited about the importance of this. We know the public is very interested in this initiative,” he said.
The commissioners went with Northwell because they were the ones who responded, Commissioner Ronald Schmalzle said.
“We tried everybody, and Northwell is stepping up,” he said. “We hope others step up to the plate with them in partnership in providing health care services to Pike County.”
The check was presented to Jenni Hamill, executive director of Greater Pike Community Foundation.
The intent for the Medical Foundation is to attract other medical service providers who would establish a 24-hour medical facility, perhaps a “micro-hospital,” Pike County Clerk Krista Gromalski said later. Foundation money would be used for capital improvements and service expansions to enhance services at the facility. The county owns land along Route 739 in Blooming Grove that could be used for this purpose, Gromalski said.
Subaru will “Share the Love”
Joan Edel, care manager for Pike County Area Agency on Aging, announced their participation in the Subaru Share the Love event again this year. From November 17, 2022 to January 3, 2023, for every new vehicle purchased or leased, Subaru will donate $250 dollars to the customer’s choice of participating charities. Meals on Wheels, providing home delivered meals, is one of the charities.
Over the last fiscal year, Meals on Wheels served 41,000 meals to homebound seniors, up 200 percent since 2019 and 2020, according to Edel. Along with their volunteers, organizations such as the Human Resource Center of both Devereaux and Lehman township.