Beebe 1916 Club dinner marks foundation anniversary
The Beebe Medical Foundation recently celebrated its 35th anniversary at the annual 1916 Club members’ reception held at the Lighthouse Cove Event Center in Dewey Beach.
Established to commemorate Beebe Healthcare’s founding year of 1916, the leadership giving club consists of donors who make a personal gift of $1,916 or more every year to support Beebe Healthcare’s innovative and expanding programs and services. The 1916 Club was founded in 2016 with 39 members. Today, the club boasts some 570 members whose gifts to Beebe total more than $1 million annually.
“We have much to celebrate tonight,” said Christian Hudson, Beebe Medical Foundation board chair. “Not only do we recognize the foundation’s 35th anniversary, but also the impressive support from our community of Beebe donors, which is driven by the 1916 Club. We are so grateful to you!”
In 1989, Beebe Medical Foundation was founded with the sole purpose of raising support for Beebe Healthcare. Since then, the foundation has raised millions of dollars for the nonprofit healthcare system, thanks to generous giving from the community in Sussex County and throughout the state of Delaware.
“It is humbling to be a part of this organization that has been serving this community for over a century,” said Kay Young, Beebe Medical Foundation executive director of development. “It is an incredible honor to work for the foundation, and the families and organizations who want to continue to help us grow and better serve Sussex County.”
Young said the foundation’s current five-year Sussex Supports Beebe Healthcare Campaign surpassed its initial fundraising goals of $22 and $30 million. With only 14 months to go, the campaign had exceeded $40 million, and the foundation’s new goal is to surpass all other fundraising efforts, most notably the I Believe in Beebe Campaign that raised a historic $45.4 million in 2019.
“I ask myself, ‘What will the next 35, or even 100 years look like for Beebe?’ We want to make sure that Beebe remains a strong and vibrant local, nonprofit, independent community health system providing care for all the people of Sussex County,” said Dr. David A. Tam, Beebe Healthcare president and CEO. “The support we receive from our donors and team members helps make that a reality, and that makes me really excited for the future of healthcare in Sussex County.”
