The Chenango Memorial Hospital Foundation is seeking donations for their community fundraising campaign to support local investments for the hospital, including funding improvements for infrastructure, equipment and technology. For more information visit www.nyuhs.org/cmh-foundation. (Evening Sun file photo)

CHENANGO COUNTY - The Chenango Memorial Hospital Foundation is in the middle of its 2025–26 annual appeal, a community fundraising campaign that supports local investments for the hospital, including equipment purchases and modernization projects.

The foundation serves as the hospital’s fundraising arm and focuses on meeting the hospital’s needs. Donations help fund improvements such as remodeling and upgrades, as well as new equipment and technology.

Last year, the foundation presented a $150,000 gift to the hospital, which helped fund enhancements in the operating room, including new lighting and the purchase of new operating tables. Last year's gift was made in memory of lifelong Norwich resident and active community leader, Fred Miers. He served as President and Campaign Chairman of the Chenango United Way, director and Treasurer of the Norwich Business Improvement District, Chairman and Campaign Chairman of the Chenango Memorial Hospital Foundation, and many other roles.

This year, the foundation’s fundraising goal is $225,000, with the appeal running through the end of February. As of this week, the foundation has raised about $185,000 toward that goal.

The foundation board reviews hospital priorities each spring, when hospital leadership shares potential projects for funding. The board typically chooses from at least two projects to determine how annual appeal funds will be invested.

The foundation is led by a board of directors with 12 members. Cecil M. Miller is serving as chair of the community campaign for the 2025–26 appeal, and Becky Yacano, supervisor of respiratory therapy and a longtime hospital employee, is chairing the internal campaign.

Yacano, who has worked at the hospital for 35 years, said supporting the appeal is another way employees can help strengthen the hospital and keep “Quality care close to home.”

Miller, the hospital’s new president and CEO said the foundation’s support helps sustain and grow rural healthcare and allows the hospital to continue investing in infrastructure and staff while expanding services and attracting talent to the region.

The annual appeal is held each year and seeks community support to help ensure UHS Chenango Memorial Hospital remains strong and responsive to local healthcare needs. Visit the foundations website at www.nyuhs.org/cmh-foundation to learn how to support the hospital.

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Local care leaders offer community appreciation and support for Chenango Memorial Hospital Foundation

Dear Friends,

I am honored to write to you not only as the new President and CEO of UHS Chenango Memorial Hospital – and a new resident of Norwich – but also as the Chair of the Chenango Memorial Hospital Foundation’s 2025–26 Annual Appeal.

When I accepted this role, I did so with a deep belief in the mission of rural healthcare and the unique spirit of this community. I have quickly come to understand what so many of you already know: this hospital is a vital cornerstone of life in Chenango County. Our dedicated staff – your neighbors and friends – deliver Quality Care Close to Home every single day.

Whether in our Emergency Department, Walk-In Center, state-of-the-art Imaging Suite, Operating Rooms, or our Primary and Specialty Care practices, the care we provide at UHS Chenango Memorial rivals that of much larger urban centers. Yet what makes us truly special is that we deliver that care with the kind of compassion and connection only possible in a community like ours.

Your support through the Chenango Memorial Hospital Foundation ensures that this level of care remains not only possible—but sustainable and growing. At a time when rural hospitals across the country are struggling, we are making critical investments: in technology, in infrastructure, and most importantly, in people. These investments will allow us to attract and retain top talent, expand services, and ensure that no one in our region has to travel far for the care they deserve.

Every gift to the 2025-26 Annual Appeal—no matter the size—makes a difference. It helps us keep healthcare local, strengthen our hospital’s future, and deepen our impact throughout Chenango County and beyond.

As someone who is new to this community, I’ve been truly inspired by your pride in this place and in this hospital. I invite you to join me in supporting the work of the CMH Foundation this year. Together, we can ensure that Quality Care Close to Home isn’t just a theme—it’s a promise we deliver on for generations to come.

With gratitude,

Cecil M. Miller

President & CEO, UHS Chenango Memorial Hospital

Chair, 2025-26 Annual Appeal

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Dear Friend,

I’m writing to you today not just as a long-time employee and your colleague, but as someone who believes deeply in our mission—and in you.

After 35 years at UHS Chenango Memorial, I’ve seen so much change: new technologies, expanded services, fresh faces, and facility upgrades that have transformed the care we deliver. But what hasn’t changed is the heart of this place—and the commitment we all share to providing Quality Care Close to Home. That’s why I’m honored to serve as the Chair of this year’s Internal Annual Appeal for the Chenango Memorial Hospital Foundation.

I know there are many ways we all give back—through long hours, hard work, and compassionate care. But supporting the CMH Foundation through the Annual Appeal is another meaningful way to make a lasting difference. When you’re part of a family, you support that family in any way you can. That’s what this is about.

Over the years, I’ve seen firsthand how the Foundation helps our hospital grow—bringing in new equipment and upgrading our spaces. These aren’t just investments in bricks and mortar—they're investments in us, and in the community we serve.

We each have our own reason for giving. For me, it’s simple: I want to help CMH continue to be the trusted provider my family, friends, and neighbors rely on. And I know that together, we can ensure our hospital remains strong, innovative, and responsive to the community’s needs.

Please consider joining me in supporting the 2025–26 Internal Appeal. Any amount—big or small—goes directly back into making this place even better for our patients and for all of us who call CMH our second home.

With gratitude and pride,

Becky Yacano

Supervisor, Respiratory Therapy

Chair, 2025–26 Internal Annual Appeal

Proud Employee Since 1990