By Claudia Loucks
Geneseo Current

“A job well done” best describes what Darcy Hepner accomplished in her role as Foundation Manager at Hammond-Henry Hospital in Geneseo.

Hepner is retiring from that position after 22 years. Katie Orwig, who has worked as Hepner’s assistant for the last seven years, will step into the manager post.

The Hammond-Henry Hospital Foundation program had been implemented about four years before Hepner became manager, and when asked how she came to fill the position, she said, “I was recruited by a friend who was working at the hospital.”

“The program was fairy new and had several leaders in the position before me,” Hepner said. “There was an employee vs. physician basketball game and an employee campaign in place at that time, but none of the current Foundation programs were happening at that time.”

When asked how the Foundation has grown, Hepner explained, “The Foundation has grown over the years thanks to the community support and the hard work of various committees. I am amazed at how many people want to be involved and do attend the events.”

“The generosity of those who attend events from Geneseo and surrounding communities is really the secret to the success of the Foundation,” she added.

Some of the programs implemented by Hepner and the Foundation committees include Women’s Health and Men’s Health programs, Tailgate party, Celebrity Dinner, Golf Outing, Estate Planning Seminar, Employee Campaign, Donor Brunch, Bus trips to Cubs games and Broadway shows, Pickle ball Play Days, and Health Career Scholarships.

The role of the Foundation is to raise funds specifically for the hospital for new equipment, building projects and to strengthen the Endowment, Hepner explained, and added, “We appreciate and thank the donors and local Foundations for their support to help make these goals possible.”

During her time as Foundation Manager, Hepner has been responsible for the Foundation raising just over $9 million…’The 2009 Hospital Building Campaign raised $2.5 million for the building addition. Other projects funded by the Foundation include Lab & Emergency Department remodels, a variety of new equipment purchased for the hospital, ranging from an Aquatic Therapy Pool, Robot for Surgery, 3-D Mammography Machine, a Van for Long Term Care; garden areas around the hospital, a Fluoroscopy Machine for swallow tests in Imaging and growing the Endowment Fund to $1 Million so the interest can be used well into the future.”

Even though she is retiring as Foundation Manager, Hepner has no plans to slow down and when asked about future plans, she said, “I want to enjoy more time with family and friends and participate in my hobbies like golf, Farmers Market, embroidery, sewing, making pies, officiating volleyball, gardening, reading and living a balanced life.”

She also shared some memories of special times in her position at the hospital and said, “The recent pandemic was an unusual time for businesses which support the hospital in so many ways. Another memory of the pandemic year is when we hosted the Celebrity Dinner fundraiser in the parking lot of The Cellar. We had an outdoor movie on the side of the building and made live auction bids with bid numbers on cardboard pizza rounds attached to a paint stick. It was a 50’s theme so the wait staff dressed as car hops to serve the participants.”

Another Celebrity Dinner event that Hepner recalled was the when they had the “MASH” truck outside The Cellar for group photos…”And in another year we had a hot air balloon land in the field by the event for participant pictures,” she said.

At the close of our conversation, Hepner said, “I am retiring Feb. 9 and what I will miss the most are the people – donors, staff and community.”