Why should one join the Foundation? Where does the money go? What are the plans for “Saving St. Andrews?”

It’s no secret that we are in opposition to the decision made by Lincoln County Healthcare to close the Emergency Department and to eliminate the swing beds. LCH responds to our “Save St. Andrews Hospital” mantra with the statement that they are not “closing” the hospital—they further add that 94 percent of the present services will remain here on the St. Andrews campus. Our point is that if the beds are gone and the emergency department is gone and the critical access designation is moved to the Miles campus – Folks, that means that the hospital is closed! Plain and simple. No spin. No double talk. No fooling around. What will the sign out in front of St. Andrews say on October 1?

Let’s talk about that mantra. We have never wavered for one minute in our desire to Save St. Andrews. Not when we started out as a “handful of vocal local people” (that group) – not when we joined the Task Force—and not now that the Task Force has asked the Boothbay Region Health and Wellness Foundation to keep up the fight. We keep on saying “Save St. Andrews” and, therefore, the beat goes on!

Why have we set our membership goal at 1,000? Why not? So that we can speak with numbers – truly represent the voice of the community – you should join us and help us make our voice heard loud and clear. Save St. Andrews!

Why have we set a goal of $300,000. Why not? We need funds to match wits with LCH/MH and to attempt to keep our hospital open. In the future, we will be investing in a healthy community, offering the services so greatly needed and taken away from us over the last few years.

People are asking what our plans are. They want to know what we have up our sleeves. Wouldn’t it be foolish to show our hand to the opposition? Please rest assured that some of the best minds in the community are hard at work trying to solve this problem. Some do not sleep at night. The Boston Globe health reporter indicated that she had never seen a community more well informed and educated about healthcare issues.

Trust us. Stay tuned. The beat goes on.