[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 150 (2004), Part 17]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page 23480]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]




                    TRIBUTE TO WEST BRANCH HOSPITAL

                                 ______
                                 

                            HON. BART STUPAK

                              of michigan

                    in the house of representatives

                        Friday, October 8, 2004

  Mr. STUPAK. Mr. Speaker, I rise today in recognition of a hospital in 
my district that has recently passed a remarkable milestone. On October 
25, the board of trustees and members of the staff at the West Branch 
Regional Medical Center, formerly known as the Tolfree Memorial 
Hospital in West Branch, MI, will celebrate their 75th anniversary. For 
the past 75 years, the West Branch Regional Medical Center has provided 
service and care to patients in West Branch area.
  The original Tolfree Memorial Hospital was built in West Branch in 
1929, through the generosity and vision of local farmer, lumberman and 
banker John Tolfree. Over the years, as the community grew and the 
hospital became more regional in scope, several additions were 
constructed.
  In 1991, it was determined by the Tolfree Memorial Hospital's Board 
of Trustees that the region had outgrown the facility. After careful 
financial planning which included fundraising, ground was broken for 
what is now known as the West Branch Regional Medical Center in 1996. 
The center was dedicated in 1999 and has been successfully serving 
Ogemaw County and the surrounding counties ever since. Patients no 
longer have to travel to Saginaw, MI, which is over an hour away.
  West Branch Regional Medical Center is the result of many dedicated 
people who from the beginning had the foresight and the dedication to 
see this hospital grow with the community and become a regional medical 
facility.
  In the tradition of the past administration, the current board of 
trustees for the West Branch Regional Medical Center have also 
recognized they could offer more services to the community. Along with 
celebrating their 75 years of service, on October 25, the West Branch 
Regional Medical Center will also unveil its plan for the next 3 to 5 
years which includes the construction of an Ambulatory Care Center.
  Mr. Speaker, I ask the U.S. House of Representatives to join me in 
congratulating the West Branch Regional Medical Center and its staff on 
their first 75 years of service and wishing them well in their next 75 
years.

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