Wherever it appears at St. Tammany Health System, Old Glory holds a place of honor. Always has, always will.
That said, the folded American flag on display in the chapel at the health system’s flagship St. Tammany Parish Hospital in Covington is a particularly special one.
For starters, it memorializes an American hero. At the same time, though, it represents the unique bond between the health system and the community, as well as the appreciation one deeply rooted local family has for it.
Which brings us to today’s installment in 70 for 70, our yearlong history project in which we spotlight a different artifact every week that helps tell the St. Tammany Health System story.
Installment No. 55: In the name of the father
Today’s artifact: A folded American flag on display in the St. Tammany Parish Hospital chapel.
Why it is significant: In one of his last visits to St. Tammany Parish Hospital, Bryan D. “Billy” Burns Jr. made it a point to stop in the hospital chapel for a few moments of quiet reflection, to say a prayer and to sing “Amazing Grace.”
It wasn’t long afterward that he reached out to the nonprofit St. Tammany Hospital Foundation with a proposal: He wanted to make a monetary gift to the foundation in recognition of the excellent care he received at the hospital – but he also wanted to honor the memory of his father, Bill Burns Sr., a World War I veteran, former School Board president and a lifelong resident of Covington.
This wasn’t just any donation, either. Initially, Burns had planned on a gift in the lower five figures, but after learning from one of his nurses about the foundation’s annual employee giving campaign – through which health system employees annually pledge their own money to help the health system’s healing mission – he was moved to increase his donation tenfold, bumping it into the six-figure range.
And so, on Dec. 5, 2008, members of the Burns family found themselves joining with foundation leadership to dedicate the hospital chapel in the elder Burns’ honor.
As part of the dedication, and at Bryan Burns Jr.’s request, the American flag presented to the family at the elder Burns’ 1951 funeral would be prominently displayed inside the chapel, where it remains today. A plaque outside also announces it as the Bryan Burns Family Memorial Chapel.
Sadly, Bryan Burns Jr. didn’t live to see that day; he died four months earlier. But before he did, he noted that he wanted his donation to be seen as a challenge to Northshore residents to support their community by investing in their community hospital, just as he did.
“I am making this donation as an investment in the foundation,” Burns said then. “I expect a good return on my investments, and this one is no different.”
Learn how you can support St. Tammany Health System and St. Tammany Parish Hospital by visiting the St. Tammany Health Foundation website.
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. 56: Heroes among us
Last week – Installment No. 54: Taking root