St. Vincent’s bolsters presence in Clay County, dedicates pavilion

St. Vincent’s bolsters presence in Clay County, dedicates pavilion
The Most Reverend Felipe J. Estevez, S.T.D., Bishop of the Diocese of St. Augustine blesses the facilities and prays over guests, hospital administration and donors during closing remarks at the dedication. Seated, Wayne and Delores Barr Weaver; The Most Reverend Felipe J. Estevez, S.T.D., Bishop of the Diocese of St. Augustine; James Machado, president of St. Vincent’s Clay County; Sidney S. Simmons, II, chairman of the board, St. Vincent’s HealthCare; David S. Hyler, II, MD, Chief Women and Infants Health Department of Maternal Child Medicine, St. Vincent’s Clay County; and Father Leonard Chuwa, System Director of Formation & Ethics, St. Vincent’s HealthCare.

The ribbon has been cut on a state-of-the-art birthing center and three-story patient tower, thanks to generous support, hard work and community engagement. It is just one of latest in a series of growth points St. Vincent’s HealthCare and Ascension Health have experienced as they meet the demand for services at the growing Clay County campus.

With the opening of the J. Wayne and Delores Barr Weaver Women and Infants Pavilion, Aug. 11, the hospital system took another leap forward. “We’re here celebrating our growth once again, growing now to serve women and infants in this wonderful Clay County community, in this beautiful facility, in alignment in faithfulness to our mission and values,” said Tom VanOsdol, chief operating officer, Jacksonville Ministry Market. “I want to assure you that what you see here this evening has only been accomplished by truly extraordinary people.”

With more than 749 births estimated in the first 10 months of opening the pavilion, the expansion is a welcome sign for a growing community during a special time for St. Vincent’s HealthCare’s mission. “It’s particularly special that we celebrate this evening, in the midst of the year in which we’re celebrating our centennial anniversary as a health ministry,” said VanOsdol.

The opening of the pavilion revealed a more comprehensive maternity and birthing center to include suites for families celebrating one of their biggest moments in life. For the families of Middleburg and the surrounding areas, it reveals a concerted effort to increase the care for women and infants.

The move is the latest phase in the doubling of St. Vincent’s Clay County through the new three-story patient tower. Back in 2013, a 106-bed hospital opened its doors to the community. Shortly thereafter, an immediate plan was put in place to expand and double the campus in size in 2015. Due to the demand and the urgent needs of the residents of Clay County, construction quickly got underway to increase the size of the hospital and completed this latest phase ahead of schedule.

“There aren’t many hospitals that are built these days anyway, there’s even fewer that receive so much community support and have so much success so early in their development, but that’s been our experience early on,” said James Machado, president of St. Vincent’s Clay County.

Closing out the dedication, philanthropist Delores Barr Weaver thanked and acknowledged everyone who answered the call to be a part of the hospital and pavilion.

“Everybody can give what they can give and every dollar is important,” she said. “I’ve always found that it doesn’t matter what the gift is, people take ownership when they feel they are a part of it.”


By Seth Williams
Resident Community News

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