By Keith Purtell
A gentle waterfall and green vegetation grace the inside of the curved main entrance as the Memorial Garden at Muskogee Regional Medical Center.
The garden is part of the hospital’s nearly-complete Westside Expansion. Sunday, approximately 80 people attended the official dedication.
Vicki Cormier, volunteer coordinator, said the garden features five wooden benches for relaxation.
“It’s a place for family, visitors and patients to go sit in a quiet place and reflect,” she said. “There is a stream that goes into a pond with koi.”
During the dedication, several speakers were featured: Rev. Don Whitchard, prayer of dedication; Chris Whybrew, chief operating officer; Sabina Beckman, past auxiliary president; Joan Pierret, current auxiliary president; and Ken Laubenstein, vice president of Support Services.
Laubenstein on Monday described some of the future enhancements to the park.
“We will be restoring three flag poles on the east side within the next week or two,” he said. “We’re planning to replace the gravel sidewalk, which was supposed to be a firm surface but is not, with either brick and concrete, or with 100 percent bricks to match the inner circle.”
Laubenstein said the bricks being used are donated and engraved in memory of various people.
Beckman said plans and fundraising for the garden got started when she was a member of the MRMC Foundation Board. There had been a courtyard established by the Bixby family, but it had to be demolished when the Westside expansion began.
“There were those big trees down there that were getting bumped and banged by the machines, so we ended up putting up a retaining wall.”
Then, when Capella Healthcare took over management of the hospital, the foundation board was dissolved, and all its garden funds were turned over to the hospital’s auxiliary. Development of the garden continued under their supervision.
“So many people don’t like air conditioning; they can sit there now and read or visit with each other,” Beckman said. “And, it’s an asset to the city.”
It’s also part of the healing process, she said.
“When a family is waiting on someone to recover, they can go out there and have a little one-on-one time together,” she said. “And, the patients who are mobile can go out there as well.”
Beckman said the final result is just what was originally hoped for.
“I am so pleased, and I think everyone will like it,” she said.
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