Hospital foundation raises USD 5L for expansion

The Columbia Memorial Hospital Foundation raised over $500,000 for the Astoria hospital’s planned expansion in the second annual Diamond Derby event last weekend.

More than 300 attendees participated in the Kentucky Derby-themed event, including Jordan Poyer, a Buffalo Bills safety and an Astoria High School graduate, and former state Sen. Betsy Johnson.

The top donor was Pierre Sundborg, a former patient who pitched in $140,000. A video of Sundborg was played at the event, where he described being moved by his patient experience receiving emergency care at the hospital and encouraged others to donate.

Mike and Laura Brosius, a local couple, gave $50,000.

“Our friends and neighbors never cease to amaze me with their generosity and enthusiasm to make the area and the health care we offer the best they can be,” Erik Thorsen, the hospital’s CEO, said in a statement.

The entirety of the funds raised from the event will support the 180,000-square-foot expansion, which is expected to break ground in fall 2024.

A filing with the Oregon Health Authority in April revealed an estimated cost of $175 million. New renderings from the architect and designers were shown during the event.

Mark Kujala, the executive director of the foundation and a Clatsop County commissioner, said in an email that he was pleased with the success of the event.

“CMH is a pillar of the community, and with this expansion, we hope to continue its legacy of providing excellent care for many more years,” he said in a statement. “We are so grateful for the community’s help as we embark on this important journey.”

The event raised over $400,000 last year. Daily Astorian