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The Ohio Valley Wellness Coalition (“OVWC”) was established as a 501(c)(3) in 2017. Until then, the OVWC was known as the Ohio Valley Medical Center Auxiliary (“the Auxiliary”). The Auxiliary was founded contemporaneously with the Ohio Valley Medical Center (“the hospital”) in 1890.
Known originally as City Hospital, a group of women from St. Matthew’s raised funds to establish the hospital in downtown Wheeling, West Virginia. The hospital opened to patients in 1892 as well as the school of nursing. The Auxiliary had many duties and responsibilities over the almost 130 years it was in existence. Its members were responsible for building and grounds maintenance, housekeeping duties, and laundry. As the hospital expanded, the Auxiliary established smaller committees, called TWIGs. At one time, there were 47 TWIGs associated with the Auxiliary. The TWIG members sewed hospital gowns, held fund raisers for hospital needs and nursing school scholarships. As the hospital grew and expanded services, the Auxiliary Board evolved into the primary fundraiser for the hospital and oversaw almost 1000 volunteers.
Alecto purchased the hospital in 2017. As Alecto was a for-profit corporation, the Auxiliary spun off from the hospital as its own non-profit, raising funds for the community-at-large with a focus on health and wellness. When Alecto shuttered the hospitals doors in September 2019, the Auxiliary board members unanimously voted to continue the good work and changed its name to the Ohio Valley Wellness Coalition. |
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