Building on a Century of Care Campaign

The 2018 CalvertHealth Foundation Harvest Ball: Fire & Ice, Igniting the Difference, was a huge success thanks to extraordinary support from corporate, community and individual sponsors raising nearly $775,000 toward the largest expansion in CalvertHealth’s 100-year history.

A Campaign for the Next One Hundred Years

In 2016, the CalvertHealth Foundation launched one of the most aggressive fundraising campaigns in the hospital’s history – the Building on a Century of Care Campaign – a $3-million effort to raise philanthropic support for the 70,300-square-foot expansion and renovation project resulting in private patient rooms at CalvertHealth Medical Center.

Prior to the announcement of the campaign at this year’s Fire & Ice Harvest Ball, more than $2.76 million of the $3-million goal had already been raised. After a heartfelt program, led by former Board Chairman and Emcee Don Parsons and a compelling video in which patients and their family members shared their stories, an anonymous donor came forward with a quarter of a million dollar donation, propelling the campaign past its $3-million goal.

“We are so grateful for the overwhelming support toward this project. This has been an extraordinary effort and we are humbled by the generosity of our community. Our patients and families drive every decision we make at the medical center, and I am thankful for everyone who has made a monumental difference in our ability to provide the best possible care for our community,” said President and CEO Dean Teague. He continued, “Every dollar counts in our mission to impact the community.”


In one of the evening’s more emotional moments, Malcolm Funn (far left), Sue Teague (center) and Brittany Milsap (far right) along with their families joined Emcee Don Parsons (not pictured) on stage. Their compelling stories helped inspire the $250,000 anonymous gift.

Every Dollar Makes a Difference

The path to the Foundation’s $3-million campaign progress was paved with humble beginnings. Two years ago, Samantha Walling kicked off the campaign with a single dollar. Samantha, then age 10, said she felt the hospital did so much for others and she wanted to do something to give back to the hospital. After selling potholders for a fundraiser, Samantha made her donation to the CalvertHealth Foundation - which was recorded as the first gift of the organization’s largest-ever campaign. “Every dollar makes a difference,” said Lynette Entzian, Chair of the CalvertHealth Foundation. “Samantha’s gift is proof. Eighteen months and three million dollars later, we have broken a record as we celebrate the largest amount ever raised for our hospital in a single campaign.”

The Importance of Privacy

“You don’t understand until you are here at the hospital the importance of privacy,” said Foundation supporter and Calvert County resident Malcolm Funn. “I applaud the hospital, the Foundation and CEO Dean Teague for making this a major project. To me, it is the way all hospitals should be.”

At the 2018 Harvest Ball, Funn, along with patient Sue Teague and Brittany Milsap, the daughter of a patient, shared their stories via a prerecorded video with the more than 600 guests in attendance. Funn and Milsap recounted their experiences in sharing time with their loved ones, some of those moments for the last time, and how having a private room impacted their ability to feel comfortable. “I spent a lot of hours there (at the hospital), just crying,” shared Milsap. “And I can’t imagine what it would be like to have another person in the hospital room sitting next to you listening to every word you say, every emotion you give out while you’re there. It’s private. You don’t want everyone else to hear.”

“I think the people of Calvert County will really love the feeling of just being well taken care of, and that’s exactly the way I felt” said Sue Teague. “When you don’t feel good, you don’t want to talk to anyone else or hear anyone else’s problems.” At the conclusion of the video, CEO Dean Teague was standing on stage with his mother, Sue - who was featured in the video. Emcee, Don Parsons noted that Mr. Teague was not on stage as the President and CEO of CalvertHealth, but as a son, driving home the point that having access to quality care is something that touches us all at one point or another.

“So many of us have been impacted by CalvertHealth Medical Center – we have been patients, we have been visitors, we have been volunteers or employees. Sharing a common thread, we are all advocates for quality health care” said Cindy Parlett, who co-chaired this year’s record-breaking event. Since it began 30 years ago, the annual blacktie charity gala is one of the most successful fundraisers for the hospital and has helped fund new medical technology, equipment and initiatives at CalvertHealth Medical Center.


The 2018 Harvest Ball Planning Committee has much to celebrate after this year’s record-breaking event. Since it began 30 years ago, the annual black-tie charity gala has raised nearly $3.5 million.

Igniting the Difference

“The community has embraced the private room expansion project because it impacts all of us,” said Theresa Johnson, Associate Vice President of Philanthropy and Corporate Communication. “In just shy of two years, we have been fortunate to receive leadership gifts from our community, physicians and employees, which have helped us achieve our $3-million goal. With members of the community, grateful patients of the hospital and local businesses still wanting to be a part of this important project, we are now reaching for our stretch goal and will be extending our campaign through 2019.”

The first phase of the private room expansion is scheduled to open in the spring. Campaign supporters will be invited to a ribbon-cutting ceremony to see the impact of their support and be the first to see the new medical center. “There are many ways for supporters to contribute to the campaign,” shared Entzian. “My husband and I found a five-year pledge to be the best option while some of our friends chose a onetime outright gift of cash or stocks. We work to help each donor find a way to give the gift that most conveniently meets their philanthropic capacity and interests.”