You can’t see it, but it’s there.
Four stories off the ground, helping support the roof of St. Tammany Parish Hospital’s 3-year-old South Tower along South Tyler Street in Covington, is a steel girder emblazoned with dozens of names.
The names belong to supporters of St. Tammany Hospital Foundation’s Raise the Beam 2019 fundraiser, in which members of the community were invited to donate money to advance the hospital’s healing mission in exchange for an opportunity to sign the beam.
That beam is the focus of today’s installment in our ongoing 70-part history series celebrating St. Tammany Health System’s 70th anniversary.
Installment No. 25: Beaming with pride
Today’s artifact: A steel girder inscribed with the names of St. Tammany Hospital Foundation donors.
Why it is significant: It was late 2019, and momentum was building on Expansion 2020, the name given to the biggest expansion project at St. Tammany Health System since the turn of the new millennium.
As the structure’s steel frame took shape, it occurred to contractor Milton J. Womack that something special should be done to commemorate the historic addition, which would add 70 patient rooms to the hospital in time for its 70th anniversary – and, in turn, allow for every patient room to become a private one.
The Raise the Beam 2019 fundraiser was soon born.
Shortly after, on a bright fall day, contributors were invited to sign the beam, which was then hoisted into place to become part of the structure.
With that move, the beam containing the names of the hospital’s many generous supporters – who have been the lifeblood of the hospital since its 1954 founding – was literally, and fittingly, supporting the hospital structure.
“The strength of our hospital is our community, and the funds we raised through the beam singing directly support new technologies for this expansion project,” foundation Executive Director Nicole Suhre said at the time.
The $56 million new wing opened in April 2021. Meanwhile, construction has continued on other aspects of the Expansion 2020 project, including work on a new kitchen and cafeteria, as well as an expanded Sterile Processing Department, among other things.
And that beam? It’s still there, towering over the hospital’s Covington campus, a hidden tribute to the generosity of donors who helped make it all happen.
Do you have a St. Tammany Parish Hospital story or item to share? We’d love to hear about it! Email us at CommDept@stph.org.
Next week – Installment No. 26: Muses' shoeses
Last week – Installment No. 24: Prescription for progress