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| Community Connections | Fall 2020

Good Shepherd Health Care System |

Christmas Spirit Awards were
presented to community recipients
by the Foundation in December 2019.
Those honored were Roger & Karen
Bounds, and Charlie & Carol Clupny.
These couples were nominated by local
community members, and chosen by
the board, as individuals who exemplify
the Christmas Spirit – the spirit of
giving throughout the year.

The Festival of Trees is a joint
partnership with Hermiston Kiwanis
Club and one of the most elegant
and anticipated events of each year.
In December 2019, the Hermiston
Festival of Trees was no exception. This
event was an immediate sell-out and
well-received by the community. The
evening included a formal dinner, and
live and silent auction of trees, wreaths
and stockings. It raised over $46,000,
of which $23,000 was allocated to
the Foundation as its share of the
proceeds. These funds were used to
supplement the awards given to our
local communities in the form of grants
and medical scholarships.

Grants are awarded each year to
qualified non-profit organizations to
benefit the health needs of our local
communities. In fiscal year 2019-2020,
grants totaling $193,920 were awarded
to sixteen organizations approved by
the board. This included $55,540 given
from the Mary Ellen Paul Trust to six
previously designated organizations
for health and educational purposes.
Also inclusive was the awarding of
$19,080 from funds provided by Good
Shepherd Medical Center Auxiliary
to support the work of various
departments within the hospital.

Other non-profit organizations that
have benefited from health-related
awards given by the Foundation for
this fiscal year include the City of
Hermiston, Eastern Oregon Mission
(Martha’s House & Agape House),
Heppner Community Foundation,
Made to Thrive, Umatilla Sage Riders,
Coalition for Safe Communities,
Good Shepherd Senior Health
Coalition, and the Hermiston
Warming Station. All have expressed
appreciation for the support given
to provide for their services.

National Doctors Day is designated
annually as March 30th. It is a day
set aside for community members to
honor medical professionals who make
a difference in their lives. In April 2020,
sixteen physicians and healthcare
professionals were awarded special
certificates of appreciation because of
community donations received by the
Foundation in their behalf.

In the spring of 2020, the Foundation
announced the awarding of $32,500
in medical scholarships to twenty-
two high school graduates, college
students, and medical professionals
seeking additional training. Among
these recipients were students
representative of most all local
communities within our service area.
These students will be attending
seventeen various colleges and
universities throughout the country.

The 2019 Scramble for Scholarships
Golf Tournament surpassed all
expectations with over $33,000
raised for medical scholarships.
Unfortunately, it was necessary to
cancel the June 2020 tournament

Good Shepherd Community Health Foundation

because of imposed regulations
and restrictions resulting from the
COVID-19 pandemic. However,
the Foundation has continued its
commitment to serve our local
communities by offering health-related
grants and medical scholarships
during this time of uncertainty.

The Foundation Board of Directors
are a diverse group of accomplished
community volunteers, both working
and retired, who give of their time with
no monetary compensation to improve
the health of our local communities.
They serve on committees to organize
and direct programs and projects
that bring value to the work of the
Foundation. The Fund Development
Committee works to develop and
implement new fundraising strategies
beneficial to the health of our
communities. The Awards Committee
solicits and reviews applications for
grants and scholarships to make
recommendations for board approval.
The Finance Committee oversees the
financial stability and sustainability of
the Foundation for the future. Each
committee has been instrumental in
the success of our work during the
past fiscal year.

Front Row (L to R): Liz Marvin, LaDonna Quaempts, Cindy Middleton, Julie Puzey,

Lisa Mittelsdorf, Tom Wamsley. Back Row: Mike Henderson (Sec./Treasurer),

Bob Green (Executive Director), Caitlin Cozad, Dennis Burke, Angela Pursel, Bill

Elfering, Dave Ego, Manuel Gutierrez, Kelly Sanders. Not Pictured: Margaret Saylor

(President), Mike Madsen (Vice President), Jacelyn Keys, Dean Fialka.

When the COVID-19 pandemic
reached U.S. soil, Garberg quickly
called upon his former skill-set to lead
Good Shepherd Health Care System’s
Personal Protective Equipment (PPE)
preservation program. Garberg has
been an employee of Good Shepherd
for the past 20+ years and in the
position of manager of Respiratory
Therapy and EKG for the past 15
years. He also reopened the Cardiac
Rehabilitation Center more than
eight years ago, adding Pulmonary
Rehabilitation to the program. Most
recently he’s been in charge of
reprocessing masks for the health
care system’s doctors and nurses.

Personal Protective

Equipment in a Time of Crisis

“Our staff have been

absolutely amazing during the

pandemic. Everyone is helping,

and I can’t tell you how much
it means to have such a great

team. Hard times really can

bring out the best in people.”

– Tony Garberg, RRT,

Cardiopulmonary Rehabilitation &

Respiratory Therapy Manager

“PPE is the most critical part of the
fight against COVID-19. If we can’t
protect our doctors and nurses, how
can we possibly save the lives of
our patients, too,” stated Garberg.

PPE for doctors and nurses
consists of protective items such as
masks, gloves, body gowns, shoe
covers, goggles, face shields and
more. Garberg specializes in the
construction and preservation
of masks.

“Good Shepherd’s PPE supply
remained steady throughout the
pandemic, well within the Oregon
Health Authority’s (OHA) criteria of

Good Shepherd Community

Health Foundation is a non-profit,

charitable institution formed to

benefit the health of the local

communities in which we reside.

To this end, the Foundation offers

grants, medical scholarships and

financial support to approved

community organizations that

serve and improve the health

of its members.

The list of officers for 2019-2020:

At fiscal year-end, Good Shepherd

Community Health Foundation had

assets and equity of

$8,053,537.

President – Margaret Saylor

Vice President – Mike Madsen

Secretary/Treasurer –

Mike Henderson

Bottom Row (L-R): Melissa, and Paula. Top Row (L-R): Tia, Manager Tony, and Barb

Tony Garberg, RRT, didn’t come from a background in health

care. He spent more than 10 years in the military, splitting time

between the U.S. Coast Guard, and the Army. While in the Coast

Guard as an Aviation Structural Mechanic he learned to fit-test

respirators for his fellow comrades working with hazardous

chemicals. Garberg has also rebuilt masks for his family’s agriculture

business before journeying into a career in health care first with

the Army, and then with Good Shepherd.

a 30-day supply at any given time,”
he shared. “The problem we were
concerned with was our burn-rate
of masks should we see a surge in
COVID-19 patients.”

About a month into the pandemic,
Garberg and his team figured out
a way to reprocess the health care
system’s P100 masks which provides
a higher level of filtration than the
N95 mask that’s normally used at
hospitals across the country. The
P100 masks can be cleaned, inspected
and returned to service quickly, a
great benefit to GSHCS frontline
workers. “We have been very fortunate
to be able to put our frontline staff in
these masks to reduce our burn rate
of PPE and keep our staff safe. It has
been a lot of extra work for us, but I
am so impressed by the willingness of
my team to step up and take on the
extra work. Without all of them
pitching in, this wouldn’t be possible,”
shared Garberg.

Reprocessed p100 Mask