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COLUMBUS—The Foothills Chamber of Commerce hosted a Business After Hours event Thursday evening at St. Luke’s Hospital in Columbus. Attendees gained insight into the hospital’s future under AdventHealth’s management. 

AdventHealth, a leading faith-based health system, has finalized an agreement to assume management of St. Luke’s Hospital, including its physician and ambulatory care clinics, in recent months. The hospital will be renamed AdventHealth Polk to align with its national network and brand.

The event also showcased the St. Luke’s Foundation’s “Sustaining Surgical Excellence” campaign, aiming to raise $1 million to equip the hospital with essential tools for life-saving surgeries. Despite its smaller size, St. Luke’s Hospital offers diverse surgical procedures, establishing itself as a vital healthcare hub in the community.

Notably, a generous anonymous donor has pledged to match donations up to $50,000 until September 30, doubling the impact of contributions. These funds will directly contribute to the health and well-being of the community and sustain surgical excellence at St. Luke’s Hospital.

At the event, St. Luke’s Hospital Chair Bill Miller expressed enthusiasm about the hospital’s continued commitment to delivering high-quality health care as part of AdventHealth’s national care network. Jared Keresoma, Vice President for AdventHealth, shared his excitement about the partnership and emphasized the hospital’s strong culture and dedicated staff.

In addition to the insightful discussions, the Chamber also sold raffle tickets for the upcoming Feed the Foothills Community Food Drive & Music Festival, the grand prize of which is an ATV. 

Love 2 Fly Droneworks and Thermal Belt Outreach will host the next Business After Hours at 134 White Drive in Columbus on October 17 at 5:30 p.m.