My Favorite Recipes by Linda Marler

Whitman Hospital Foundation Auction Committee

One of the busiest groups in town is the hospital foundation auction committee, with the dinner and auction scheduled for Saturday, Feb. 2, at Hill-Ray Plaza. This twenty-second annual fund raiser has some favorite items from past auctions interspersed with brand new items.

Auction committee members include Jennifer Claassen, Shirley Walker, and Christine Kackman, who are all foundation board members, and Kathryn Vogler, Dawn Bennett and Linda Marler, who are also interested in putting on a successful event again this year. The coordinator of the foundation is Kimberly DeHart.

Shirley Walker is a broker at HUB International Insurance, and Jen Claassen is the very busy mother of five children, ranging from preschool to high school in age.

Christine Kackman is a retired hospital employee, a physical therapist and manager of the rehabilitation department, who was involved in getting the foundation off the ground and planning the first gourmet dinner.

Shirley Walker shared her reasons for serving on the foundation board. “Colfax has a hospital and a clinic. That was an important factor in my decision to move back to my home town eight years ago. I think its presence helps makes Whitman County a safe, stable, thriving place to live.

“I hadn’t given a lot of thought to what supports a hospital until I was asked to serve on the hospital’s foundation board five years ago. Upon investigation, I discovered a group of dedicated citizens who have worked for years to establish a $10 million endowment to act as a savings account to help the hospital in the event of a crisis or emergency. Once that goal is reached, the foundation plans to invest in equipment, improvements and making sure our hospital is always there for us.

“I knew I wanted to be part of this ongoing effort, so I joined the WCHF board. We recently went over the $3 million mark, despite the recent downturn in the economy. We still have a long way to go. But we know this county. We know we can count on our communities to support our annual Foundation Dinner and Auction. Our citizens give memorials to honor family, loved ones, and veterans who served our country. They remember the hospital with gifts in wills and trusts. They know a hospital is precious to a community.

“We made it a goal this year to educate the community about the foundation, what it does, and why we work hard to further support Whitman County’s hospital. We hope we have succeeded and have earned the support the hospital needs.”

Kathryn Vogler and her husband Mark have attended every foundation dinner and auction, a distinction they share with few others. Kathryn teaches math and science at Colfax High School.

Kathryn shared her thoughts. “My involvement with Whitman Hospital Foundation is a natural extension of my years with the Whitman Community Hospital Board of Directors.”

She began serving as a director in 1986 on a board of 23 members, whom Kathryn commends for their efforts. This core group led the fund raising from the communities to replace St. Ignatius Hospital with a modern facility.

“Time passed,” Kathryn continued, “Whitman Hospital was on the verge of failing; it was bleeding money. We had few physicians in the area; the patient census was very low. The board had some tough decisions to make. “One of the first decisions made was to condense board membership to a more manageable number.

“The second was to decide whether to attempt to keep the hospital open, or to turn the building into a minimum security facility.”

A community of our size without a hospital became unthinkable.

The board then ‘went on the road’ to sell the surrounding communities on the idea of a taxing district supporting Whitman Community Hospital. The election results showed an overwhelming favorable response to a tax to keep the hospital open. The board then actively recruited physicians new to the area.

The results speak volumes. Whitman Community Hospital is nothing short of a miracle.

The Whitman Hospital Foundation was established to act as a savings bank for the hospital, to provide long-term financial security for the hospital. Its members are all volunteers with the common goal of establishing the hospital’s long-term financial security.

“I consider my work with Whitman Community Hospital and Whitman Hospital Foundation to be a privilege. Giving back to one’s community is what a responsible citizen does. I am pleased to be able to help carry on a project that the dedicated group of community members established, and to be a part of something greater than me,” said Vogler.

Linda Marler is a retired teacher who has served several terms on the foundation board and remains involved in foundation fund raising.

Dawn Bennett is a licensed massage therapist and owner of Bliss Salon in Colfax. She said, “I am involved with the hospital foundation because I am giving my volunteer time back to my community that has helped me and my family. Having Whitman Hospital and staff here is very valuable to young families. My daughter Megann was born and treated here.”

Duties of the auction committee include helping foundation coordinator Kimberly DeHart select and solicit auction items, set up the auction, coordinate dinner reservations and seating, and help select the menu for the gourmet dinner. On Friday, Feb. 1, members will cover tables, display items, produce table decorations and check the seating chart. On Saturday, auction committee members greet guests, help them find their tables and work on the silent auction.

Last year the auction committee offered a “Dessert a Month,” which sold for a very generous amount. Members of the committee took turns baking treats, and they share their recipes with all of us.

Recipes:

Brownies

Linda Marler

1 3/4 cup + 2 Tablespoons flour

1 teaspoon baking powder

3/4 cup cocoa powder (dark cocoa works well)

2 cups sugar

1 cup softened butter or margarine

1 teaspoon vanilla

4 eggs

1 cup chopped walnuts, optional

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Cream butter, sugar, and vanilla; add eggs one at a time, beating well after each addition.

Blend flour, baking powder, and cocoa. Stir in flour mixture. Add walnuts, if desired. spread in a 9 x 13 inch greased baking pan or brownie pan.

Bake 25 to 30 minutes. Frost if desired or dust with powdered sugar. Cool on a wire rack and cut into bars when cool.

Chocolate Chip Cookies

Kathryn Vogler

1 cup flour

1 teaspoon baking soda

1/4 teaspoon salt

1/2 cup rolled oats

1/2 cup butter

1/2 cup white sugar

1/3 cup packed brown sugar

1/2 cup peanut butter

1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract

1 cup chocolate chips

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.

Cream together butter and both sugars until smooth. Stir in egg, peanut butter, and vanilla until well blended.

Combine flour, baking soda, and salt; stir into batter until just moistened. Mix in the oats and chocolate chips until evenly distributed. Drop by tablespoonfuls onto lightly greased cookie sheets.

Bake for 10 to 12 minutes, until edges start to brown. Cool for five minutes on cookie sheets before transferring to wire racks to cool completely.

Cinnamon Buns

Dawn Bennett

If you run out of time to bake, go to Events on Main and buy their cinnamon buns. They are perfect!

Chocolate Oatmeal Cake

Shirley Walker

1 3/4 cup boiling water

1 3/4 cup flour

1 cup oatmeal

1 cup brown sugar

1 cup sugar

1/2 cup margarine

2 eggs

1 teaspoon baking soda

1/2 teaspoon salt

2 eggs

1 Tablespoon Hershey’s baking cocoa

1- 12 ounce package chocolate chips, divided

1 cup chopped walnuts, divided

Mix boiling water and oatmeal in large bowl and let stand 10 minutes. Add brown sugar, sugar, and margarine; stir until melted. Combine the dry ingredients, add them by hand except just add 1/2 the chocolate chips and 1/2 the walnuts. Pour batter into a greased and floured 9x13 inch pan. Sprinkle remaining nuts and chips on the top. Bake at 350 for 40 minutes. This cake is so rich and chocolatey that it doesn’t need to be frosted. For the Avista group, I made cupcakes, baking them 20-25 minutes.