Dateline Grapevine:  October 26, 2001 5:35 PM

(GRAPEVINE, September 17, 2001) – With construction beginning on a new 6-story patient tower, Baylor Medical Center at Grapevine is $4.5 million closer to meeting the $6 million “Caring for Generations” capital campaign goal. The six-story patient tower will nearly double the number of licensed patient beds at the medical center from 104 beds to 197.

The campaign for the new patient tower began with lead gifts from Baylor Grapevine employees, physicians, community leaders and corporations.

 

A $2 million gift was given from Drs. Ed and Minnie Lee Lancaster. With this significant donation the new patient tower will be named the “Ed and Minnie Lee Lancaster Patient Tower”. In 1953, the Lancasters started a small clinic on Northwest Highway in Grapevine.  By 1967, the clinic had delivered 2,500 babies. The clinic relocated in 1968 and was named Grapevine Memorial Hospital as a tribute to the Ann B. Lancaster Memorial Foundation, a foundation named after Dr. Ed Lancaster’s mother. In 1981, the board of the Ann B. Lancaster Memorial Foundation transferred ownership to Baylor Health Care System renaming the hospital Baylor Medical Center at Grapevine. The Lancasters have remained strong advocates for the medical center and have supported

Baylor Grapevine through previous campaigns. Dr. Minnie Lee Lancaster is still active on the medical staff at Baylor Grapevine.

In addition to the Lancaster’s donation, Linda Carter presented Baylor Grapevine with a gift of $1 million from her and her husband, Don, at the patient tower groundbreaking which was held in June of this year. Linda Carter served on the Baylor Grapevine board of trustees from 1983 to 1992. She also served as honorary co-chair for the 1995 Circle of Care campaign that benefited the expansion of the Women’s Center, now known as the Cecilia Cunningham Box Women’s Center. Linda Carter is currently a member of the board of trustees for Baylor Health Care System and the first woman to serve as the next chairman of the board for the health care system.

Baylor Grapevine Volunteers Services Auxiliary has raised $100,000 to go toward the new patient tower. This is the first installment of a $500,000 pledge. The money raised comes from gift shop sales, book fairs, jewelry sales and art shows.

“As we move forward my confidence is bolstered by the knowledge that the people who know Baylor Grapevine best—her founder, her employees, her physicians, her volunteers—support her most,” says Bob Mundlin, chairman of the “Caring for Generations” capital campaign.

Baylor Grapevine employees contributed through the “Caring for Generations” employee campaign which was kicked off at the beginning of this year with a goal of $100,000. Baylor Grapevine employees exceeded that goal by $9,000. The employee campaign committee members included employee liaison, Mary Anderson, R.N., director of ICU and Betsy Pecquet, Access Services. 

The physician campaign began in March with a goal of $500,000. Physicians exceeded that goal and have raised to date $515,000. The physician campaign is co-chaired by medical staff members Timothy Rost, M.D., OB/gynecology and Clifton Cox, M.D., colon rectal surgery.

Funding of the $50 million expansion primarily will come from operational budgets of Baylor Medical Center at Grapevine and Baylor Health Care System. “Caring for Generations” contributions will help Baylor Grapevine grow to meet the needs of the community.

“This expansion will be the largest in the history of our hospital and will allow us to become a regional medical center in order to meet our communities’ growing needs,” says Mark Hood, president of Baylor Grapevine.

The “Caring for Generations” capital campaign chairman is Bob Mundlin, president of Lifetime Benefits in Southlake. The Caring for Generations community cabinet includes: Baylor Grapevine Board of Trustees Liaison – Jim Carter, Denton County Commissioner; Corporations Liaison – Donna Arp, Mayor of Colleyville and Keith Vegors, president Main Street Financial Centre in Southlake; Community Individuals Liaison – Frank Carroll, Esquire Donohoe, Jameson and Carroll, P.C.; and Stan O’Neil, president TexasBank in Grapevine; Development Council Liaison – Julie Lancaster, CPA and Trent Petty, City Manager of Westlake.

“The community has supported the medical center through past campaigns and continues to play a large role in helping meet our goals not only through this expansion but through the needs that lie ahead. Gifts given toward the campaign by the community will help fund emergency services, women’s services, intensive care, surgical facilities and cardiovascular care as well as ensure the future of Baylor Grapevine,” says Mark Hood, president of Baylor Grapevine.

With $4.5 million already given toward the campaign and $1.5 million needed to reach the campaign goal, Baylor Grapevine continues to accept gifts from the community. For more information on how to be a part of the “Caring for Generations” campaign, please contact Pamela Rainville at metro (817) 329-4002.