Donor gives $200,000 to Birth Center expansion

An anonymous donor has helped bolster North Valley Hospital’s capital campaign for an expanded Birth Center with a check for $200,000.

The expansion is expected to cost $1.5 million for construction and $500,000 for obstetric equipment and staff training.

With the anonymous donation, the campaign is up to $1.2 million, just $800,000 away from the goal.

This latest donation came through the Whitefish Community Foundation’s “Great Fish Community Challenge,” which will award an additional percentage match to select nonprofits in the valley through Sept. 18.

Jason Spring, chief executive officer of North Valley Hospital, thanked the donor and stressed the importance of the expansion for families in Whitefish and the rest of the Flathead Valley.

“We are very thankful to receive such a generous gift toward The Birth Center expansion,” he said. “This community has supported its local hospital for many years and it’s been through the strong culture of philanthropy in our area that allows us to continue delivering quality health care to the citizens of the Flathead Valley.”

The current Birth Center was built to deliver 250 babies a year. In the last 12 months, more than 500 babies have been delivered at North Valley Hospital.

The expansion will provide 2,730 square feet of new space and renovate 1,045 square feet of existing space for additional labor, delivery, recovery, postpartum rooms and a nursery. A larger nurses station, family waiting room and new lactation room are also part of the plan.

North Valley Hospital broke ground on the expansion April 20 and expects the addition to be ready for patients in late September.

The expanded nursing station should be finished in October and the new nursery, lactation room and family room is planned to be finished in December.

For more information on the capital campaign, visit www.nvhosp.org and click on the Foundation tab.

Reporter Ryan Murray may be reached at 758-4436 or by email at rmurray@dailyinterlake.com.