Submitted by Kimberly McGuire
Executive Director, MCH Foundation
For more than three decades, Le Grand Picnic has brought our community together in support of local healthcare. It has raised countless dollars for Mountains Community Health while creating a special opportunity for friends, neighbors, patients, physicians, staff and supporters to come together.
Over the years, it has also evolved into something of a theatrical production – an experience our community looks forward to and one that has become much more than simply an evening of fundraising.
That’s why, when we learned that construction on the hospital’s campus would prevent us from holding Le Grand Picnic in our Rose Garden, we began exploring other options. We considered moving the event to another venue and even looked at the possibility of offering an online version.
Ultimately, however, we decided that we didn’t want to deliver a reduced or smaller version of an event that has become so special to our community. Rather than try to recreate Le Grand Picnic on a smaller scale or in a different format, we believe it’s better to take a one-year pause and bring it back when we can give it the time, attention and setting it deserves.
This decision also comes at an important time for Mountains Community Health.
Protecting the future of healthcare in our community
As you know, our hospital is nearly 75 years old and the facility was not designed for the way healthcare is delivered today.
We need to modernize our hospital to meet the needs of our community and ensure we can continue to provide high-quality care close to home.
That’s why the hospital is moving forward with a $72 million construction project that includes mandatory seismic upgrades, a new emergency department, a new acute care wing and an expansion of our skilled nursing facility.
This is critical work to ensure that our hospital remains here for our community when we need it most – during disasters and for generations to come.
We had a financing plan in place for this project through a low-interest $48.5 million USDA loan, hospital savings, grants and donations. However, reductions in Medi-Cal funding under the One Big Beautiful Bill Act are expected to reduce our annual revenue by approximately $4 million – more than our current bottom line – and jeopardize our ability to repay the loan.
That’s why the hospital’s board of directors voted to place a bond measure on the Nov. 3 ballot. If the measure passes, we’ll be able to repay the loan, protect the investment already made in this project, ensure we can complete this critical work and keep high-quality healthcare close to home.
It’s going to take a mountain
There is still a $23.5 million gap between the cost of the project and the USDA loan. That’s where the Foundation comes in. We will be working to close that gap through a capital campaign and grants.
We have already secured $5.2 million toward this effort and we’ll be offering naming opportunities throughout the new construction. These naming opportunities are a meaningful way to support the future of healthcare on the mountain while creating a lasting legacy.
We also have pressing needs for new equipment included in this year’s capital budget and we’ll be sharing our wish list soon. If you don’t want to wait, you can always make a donation by visiting our site (mchcares.com – click on the “donate” button).
Thank you for standing with Mountains Community Health and for all you do to help ensure exceptional healthcare remains available close to home.
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