By Mary Thurwachter
Deborah Sargeant’s mind races at 2 a.m. That’s when she does her best thinking, she says, and lately her nocturnal thoughts have to do with plans for the Women of Grace Luncheon.
She may have an idea about an ad, or a sponsor, or an item for the silent auction. Sometimes, she’ll reach for her Blackberry and text Megan Huisinga, her co-chair for the Oct. 29 event to benefit Bethesda Hospital’s Women and Children Services, primarily to support the creation and renovation of a new, state-of-the-art maternity unit.
Megan has burned the midnight oil many nights in editing a holiday cookbook to be used as a party favor for those at the luncheon’s VIP tables. The books will also be sold at the event and in local shops.
The cookbook will have the same name as the event’s theme: “Ten Years of Giving Thanks.” Since printing costs have been underwritten, sales from the book will add another $20,000 to the event’s proceeds this year.
The luncheon, started by the Bethesda Hospital Foundation 10 years ago, was inspired by Trudy Willms, who volunteered more than 73,406 hours at Bethesda since 1976. Trudy was honored at the inaugural event and still attends each year and serves on the Women of Grace committee.
Since 2000, more than 50 women have been honored with the achievement of Women of Grace by the Bethesda Hospital Foundation. “Deborah and Megan are perfect co-chairs because they are extremely dedicated and passionate about our community hospital and raising awareness about the importance of supporting our hospital,” says Kristin Calder, public relations director and annual giving director for the Bethesda Hospital Foundation.
The luncheon is very inspiring, says Megan. “I’m not a crier, but when you watch the videos of the women (being honored) and what they do, it’s very moving.”
Co-chairs forged partnership from varied backgrounds
The work of co-chairs requires considerable time and commitment. It began last March, when Deborah, a member of the board of the Bethesda Hospital Foundation, was chosen as chairwoman and invited Megan to be co-chair. Deborah and Megan, a New York native, have known each other since they met as moms of new students at The Gulf Stream School. Deborah hosted a get-together before school began and the two forged a friendship.
When Megan, a former book and magazine publisher from New York, became chairwoman of the Delray Beach Historical Society’s Antique Show, she asked Deborah to be her co-chair. The duo co-chaired that event for the past two years.
“She’s the wind beneath my wings,” Deborah said of Megan, who once worked for media icon Tina Brown at The New Yorker. Megan, who delivered her son at Bethesda three years ago, moved to Florida seven years ago with her husband, Jeffrey. She has been visiting the area since the 1960s.
“I got married when I was 20 and Megan has had this big career,” Deborah adds. “She shows me how to do things and she really knows a lot about computers. I’m always learning something.” A Florida native from Haines City, Deborah and her husband, Harry, are alumni of Florida State University and strong supporters of the school’s booster association. She is a fundraiser involved in state politics and serves on the board of the Delray Beach Historical Society and is president of the Governor’s Mansion Foundation.
In Aspen this summer, Deborah wrote countless personal letters to people in the coastal communities asking for support for the hospital and the Women of Grace Luncheon. “The responses” she says, “were incredible.”
With the economic downturn, there was concern about securing sponsors.
Between Deborah’s lovingly crafted letters and Megan’s gentle prodding; the pair has been very successful. They made up for any sponsor shortfall from businesses by securing more personal donors. And they’ve become good at asking for help and/or money.
“I feel like people can say no,” Megan says. “But the money goes to such a good cause. We’re doing this on behalf of helpless babies. We’re giving people an opportunity to help.”
The committee they formed, about 40 members strong, is a big help. Both sought to attract new members as well as welcome those who had served previously.
“I grew up with an incredible sense of family,” Deborah says, “and that’s what I want for my committee. “If I’m good at something it’s getting others interested and involved. They feel they’ve accomplished something and it makes me feel good.”
Seeing tiny infant puts effort in perspective
In mid-September, the co-chairs, committee and past and present honorees toured the newly renovated and under-construction areas of Bethesda’s Women & Children’s Services area, which the event benefits.
They got to see the new maternity delivery rooms, the stylish waiting room for daddies, and most impressively, the neonatal intensive care unit, where specially designed infant beds called Giraffes help to keep premature babies alive.
The beds are a Cadillac version of an incubator, where caregivers have access to the baby from all sides. The beds are equipped with built-in scales for frequent weighing and provide humidity which helps reduce skin breakdown. Nurses say the Giraffe bed is one of the best environments for critically ill babies.
Last year, 2,900 babies were born at Bethesda and, of those, 345 spent their first days in the hospital’s Level III NICU.
During the tour, Deborah and Megan had a chance to observe a premature baby boy less than a day old and weighing slightly more than one pound. Because of the Giraffe bed and the good care he was receiving at Bethesda, the infant had a better chance to live.
“That baby really put a face on it for me,” Deborah says.
Megan agrees. “I’ll never forget seeing that child.”
With support from the foundation and the Women of Grace event, two more of the $37,000 beds will be added to the four already in place. The nurses are already saying “thank you.”
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