Atrium Medical Center gives 'fitting tribute' to organization's dedication to hospital

Rick McCrabb, Journal-News, Hamilton, Ohio
·2 min read

Nov. 26—A Middletown organization that raised more than $1 million for a local hospital was recently honored with a tree planting to celebrate its more than 100 years of supporting patient programs and services throughout Atrium Medical Center.

Earlier this month, an October Glory Maple tree was dedicated near Atrium's Centennial Garden, located along the 1.3-mile paved Turner Trail, a walking trail that circles part of the Atrium's campus.

The tree was dedicated by Atrium Medical Center and Atrium Medical Center Foundation in honor of the Middletown Area Federation Women's Club that raised more than $1.2 million for the hospital, said Mike Stautberg, president of Atrium Medical Center Foundation.

Rhonda Seidenschmidt, vice president of operations at Atrium and vice president of imaging for Premier Health, said: "The legacy of their care and dedication is not only seen today in this tree, but will forever benefit our community with their endowment to help women in need have access to mammograms, screenings, and care at Atrium."

The Middletown Federation of Women's Club hosted the Charity Ball for decades and in 2010, working with the Atrium Medical Center Foundation, the federation established an Endowment for Women's Health and Wellness.

This endowment supports preventive and diagnostic mammograms and other lifesaving screening procedures for women who can't afford them. Annually, 50 to 70 women have benefitted from the Federation's support, according to Stautberg.

He called the tree planting "a fitting tribute" because it honors the many volunteers of the Middletown Area Federation Women's Club who served the community for a century with "unwavering dedication to the hospital" and their many years of supporting Arbor Day and Buckeye Girls State.

The Middletown Area Federation Women's Club for decades gifted tree seedlings to local fifth-grade students on Arbor Day. Many of those seedlings have grown into large trees throughout Middletown.