Despite the fall temperatures outside, a tropical breeze was blowing inside the Davenport Memorial Hall for the 14th annual Lincoln Hospital Foundation "Sharing Hearts" Luncheon, Tuesday, Sept. 30. The warmth was felt through the nearly 220 women in attendance who graciously donated $17,450 for Lincoln Hospital patient care projects.
Special guest actress Dawn Wells of "Gilligan’s Island" fame, was on hand to help unveil this year’s special project -- renovation of an acute care room into another comfort room similar to the one the ladies funded in 2003.
"The comfort room, which is heavily used, will be decorated and furnished more like a real home," says Cheryl Nelson, RN, Lincoln Hospital Quality Coordinator. "It will be a comfortable, inviting space for people in long-term rehabilitation, or for those nearing the end of life to have their family hold vigil and say their final goodbyes without the sterile hospital environment."
Seeing the need for this special place, the ladies gave $14,290 toward the project. And, if that wasn’t enough, another $1,075 was donated to the Permanent Endowment Fund and $2,085 was raised for a new nursing scholarship fund.
"Thanks to the generosity of Marie Braun of Davenport whose financial gift started this fund, this money will be used to help current hospital employees including nursing assistants, EMT’s, ward secretaries and LPN’s, go back to school to earn their RN degree so they can better their career right here at Lincoln Hospital," says Foundation Director Linda Wagner. "This is a very special addition to the Foundation as the nationwide nursing shortage hits the rural facilities first and hardest."
Surprisingly, special guest Dawn Wells admitted that although she’d never trade her days a Mary Ann Summers on "Gilligan’s Island," her first love was medicine. "I always wanted to be a pediatric surgeon and if I had it all to do over again, I probably would be a doctor."
Still her Hollywood experience was a good one, with "Gilligan’s Island" being the longest continually running TV series in history. "Thanks to reruns, the show has been running for over 40 years," says Wells, who is recognized worldwide as the pigtailed Mary Ann.
"I was canoeing in the Solomon Islands years ago with some girlfriends. We were going from island to island meeting with the native people," she told the crowd. "Now, there was no electricity or running water – just native people in their small villages living day to day. However, on one island, the tribal chief’s wife looked and me and said, ‘I know you…’"
The woman had temporarily left the island years before and had seen "Gilligan’s Island." "I called up Sherman Schwartz, the creator of the show, and told him that there truly was no place left on earth where people didn’t know Mary Ann."
In fact, Wells says the knowing Mary Ann is the key to the character’s popularity.
"Mary Ann got more fan mail than any other castaway, and it’s easy to see why. Mary Ann would have been your best friend, or the girl next door. Girls liked her. Boys liked her. Parents liked her and really, she was a good role model for kids. America is really hungry for wholesome characters like Mary Ann. That’s why she’s still popular."
Wells shared her insights of her fellow castaways as well as the cultural phenomena of the show.
"At one point, we got a visit from the head of the U.S. Coast Guard. He told us that his office gets hundreds of calls from angry people telling them that there are seven people stranded on an uncharted desert island in the Pacific and they should get off their tails and rescue them."
"The critics said it was the most stupid show they’d ever seen, but people loved it. It was the first comedy series outside of a living room. We spent 2 weeks at #1 and haven’t been off the air since because the show is timeless slapstick comedy with no technology to date it. It is really about what touches humanity."
Wells, brought to town by her U of W roommate and long-time friend Rola Krause of Wilbur, told the crowd that her true joy is finding projects that really make a difference, like the Children’s Miracle Network or helping with the Lincoln Hospital Foundation luncheon.
And help she did as the ladies enjoyed her presentation, the delicious roast pork meal complete with macaroon pie from J&J Catering of Almira, and the fun gifts and prizes awarded during the event.
"We couldn’t do this without our wonderful table hostesses and our generous corporate sponsors," says Wagner. "They make sure all gifts given during the luncheon go directly toward Foundation projects. It’s because of them that this event is such a huge success year after year."
