This year, Audubon County Hospital Foundation’s Director, Bliss Weitl, organized the 27th Annual Golf Fundraiser with a fresh perspective. The fundraiser is an event that the Foundation hosts with the intention of it bringing in donations from the community to help purchase their “annual giving” item.
This year, the proceeds went to purchasing (2) High Velocity Therapy (HVT) systems which are developed by Vapotherm, “a recognized leader in the field of respiratory technology” according to Weitl.
“The Vapotherm HVT system treats patients who have serious respiratory conditions and provides breathing support by administering heated, high flow oxygen through tubing inserted in the nose rather than a mask” explained Weitl.
This new equipment was made possible by the community and contributing sponsors. With this support the hospital serves to protect its vision by continuing to improve the healthcare of its community through safety and the highest quality of care. Speaking for the Foundation, Weitl states that “the respiratory system will provide the highest quality of care for our (ACMH) respiratory patients and allow us to maintain a safe environment for those who may need some extra care.”
Weitl’s experience in event planning and enjoyment in hosting people came in handy for the fundraiser as she mentions that her “background knowledge in event planning and [her] attention to detail really helped [her] in the long run.” Although she had previous experience, Weitl acknowledged that there was certainly a lot more planning than anyone realizes. Weitl praised everyone who helped make this 2-day fundraiser run as smoothly as possible, from the ACHF board members and ACMH staff to the volunteers who so willingly provided their time.
Weitl said, “We have a really great group of people that make up the Foundation Board, and they always step up to help with the fundraisers.” ACHF Board President, Chelle Madsen, helped Weitl wherever she could. Having been on the board for four years, Chelle along with her fellow board members know their way around this event! Running the kitchen were board members Jolene Burns, Kathy Sornson, Chelle Madsen, and Dan Smith. This spirited group of workers served breakfast and lunch to the teams and fellow event workers, providing them with coffee, baked goods from the Bakery on Broadway, and with pulled pork sandwiches. The Foundation board members and Weitl are grateful that the Audubon County Pork Producers continued to donate the pork for this event and appreciate Scott Alt for donating his time and talents in smoking the meat.
Being of assistance to Weitl, Chelle helped in the kitchen, organized the prizes, and announced important information to the teams. “Bliss had people… her right hand girls helping her…So I just helped out in the kitchen and then wherever [she] needed me…” said Chelle.
Adding to the list of helpers, Weitl acknowledged the “behind-the-scenes” workers who helped in other areas while she was putting all her time towards the golf fundraiser. “Susan [Greving], the previous director and now full-time Marketing and Communications Director for ACMH, guided me quite a bit in the last few months since I took over the Foundation Director position, and she deserves a huge thank you” said Weitl.
As for the event itself, Weitl exclaimed that “This fundraiser went way better than I ever expected.” In total, the fundraiser acquired 28 teams that registered between the two days: 8 teams on Thursday and 20 teams on Friday. “The community showed up for the Foundation and I am extremely proud to be a part of it,” exclaimed Weitl.
One way the community showed up was by sponsoring and donating prizes for the event. The Foundation received over $10,000 in donated items. This year, Weitl’s goal was to be able to give back to the golfers who gave to the Foundation. “I truly believe that showing them that they’re appreciated goes a long way and will hopefully entice them to come support us in the future” stated Weitl. Taking into consideration the diversity of attendees and what kinds of items they would enjoy was a large priority for Weitl.
For the 27th annual golf fundraiser, Weitl reached out to over 200 businesses hoping to be able to get ACHF’s name on their radar for future events. In finding the balance, Weitl accumulated donations from businesses locally and from those outside of our communities with the hopes that it would provide prizes for participants to get out and explore the state of Iowa.
Looking back on the event, Weitl’s concluding statement on the 27th Annual Golf Fundraiser is filled with gratitude.
“My whole heart goes out to everyone that helped me. The support that they have shown is truly outstanding. I thank the community for stepping up and supporting us with sponsorships and prizes, and to all the golfers that attended as well. We had a lot of fun, and I cannot wait for next year. Hopefully, we will have the same great turnout!”
Submitted By Eleanor Greving
