Initiative reflects transformational gift from Elaine J. Wold and Bay Branch Foundation
Officials at Boca Raton Regional Hospital today announced that it will name its existing inpatient facility the “Gloria Drummond Patient Tower” in response to a transformational gift of $25 million from noted philanthropist Elaine J. Wold and the Bay Branch Foundation.
Mrs. Wold’s commitment to the Hospital was made in April of this year. At that time, she requested that a new, seven-story patient tower, which is part of the Hospital’s proposed $260 million expansion and renovation initiative, carry the name of Gloria Drummond, Boca Regional’s founder and life-long friend of Mrs. Wold. While the structure, when completed, will reflect that nomenclature, it was thought that Mrs. Wold’s largesse – and wish – should be immediately recognized.
“With the magnitude of Elaine’s gift and her material and longstanding support of our Hospital in other areas such as our Wold Family Center for Emergency Medicine and the Gloria Drummond Physical Rehabilitation Institute, we thought it most fitting to have her request realized now and affix Gloria’s name to the present-day hospital as well,” said Mark Larkin, President of Boca Regional’s Foundation.
Mrs. Wold’s friendship with Gloria Drummond spanned more than 40 years until Mrs. Drummond’s death in 2011. The tragic 1962 deaths of Gloria’s children, Debbie and Randall, galvanized the community to raise funds to build a local hospital – Boca Raton Community Hospital, which opened in 1967. Mrs. Wold, who was integral to the success of that campaign, still actively supports the Debbie- Rand Memorial Service League that founded the Hospital, was its first philanthropic organization and coordinates its robust volunteer services.
“Mrs. Wold’s generosity and commitment to Boca Raton Regional Hospital has created an extraordinary legacy, one that will touch millions of lives for generations to come,” said Jerry Fedele, President and
CEO of the Hospital. “By accelerating her selfless desire to see Gloria Drummond’s name serve as the beacon for our campus, we do well in honoring that legacy.”
