Deep in the archives at St. Mary’s General Hospital lies a hand-written recipe card for Sister Zita McQueen’s famed butter tarts – treats that delighted patients from the 1940s to 60s whenever they appeared on their food trays.
While the mid-century recipe didn’t stray far from that of other butter tarts, there seemed to be something special about Sister Zita’s version.
It’s been 100 years since St. Mary’s saw its first patient, Mr. Edward Markie and his inflamed appendix, on Oct. 21, 1924.
But the heart of St. Mary’s began beating before that day, when the community banded together to support the hospital’s building fund. It beat stronger still in the 1930s when a group of philanthropic women formed the Ladies’ Auxiliary to fundraise for the hospital’s needs, and in the 1960s, when Sister Zita sold 700 of her butter tarts at a hospital bake sale.
The heart of St. Mary’s has always beat strong because of community support.
So, when you think of the surgeons who have performed countless life-saving procedures; the nurses who have held patients’ hands on their worst days; the volunteers who have greeted visitors with a smile; and the nun, in a small, hospital kitchen, who spread joy through baked goods, think also of your role in supporting that environment.
Donors like you have helped shape care for a century. Now you get to contribute to the evolution of that care.
As the voluntary merger with Grand River Hospital ramps up, let’s remember two things:
No. 1: A new hospital isn’t built overnight. Our community still needs upgraded equipment and technology now.
And No. 2: We’re not losing that “made with heart” mentality that makes St. Mary’s special. You put your heart into improving local healthcare, and that legacy extends beyond St. Mary’s.
So, while we thank you for supporting this hospital in 2023, we also ask you to look ahead – to two years, five years, 10 years, another 100.
Let’s continue to build together. Let’s make it with heart.
Susan Dusick
President & CEO
Phil Pfeifer
Board Chair
Better equipment, better care. It starts with you.
