KULA HOSPITAL GEARS UP FOR 100TH ANNIVERSARY: SEEKS PHOTOS, STORIES FOR CENTENNIAL BOOK

Kula Hospital is gearing up to celebrate the 100th anniversary in 2010, and as part of that celebration, the Kula Hospital Auxiliary is sponsoring a 100th centennial coffee table book. Alberta Canha is the project coordinator.

Image of Kula Hospital courtesy: http://www.kula.hhsc.org/

“We are working on highlighting historical and current information, stories, and photos about Kula Hospital and the surrounding community,” said Canha. “We are asking for the community’s help in finding photos or stories from the last 100 years about the hospital. The oral history of our elders is so important to the project.  We are hoping that they will help us fill in much of the rich history of the past.”

The Kula Hospital was founded in 1910 by Dr. W. F. McConkey as a tuberculosis hospital that was called Kula Sanitorium or “Kula San.” Since that time the facility has undergone several transitions, even at one time serving the community as a general hospital with a surgery room, medical-surgical unit, and labor and delivery.   In 1976, the name of the facility was changed to Kula Hospital when the patient population was shifted to long-term care.

Kula Hospital has grown today to an extended acute care and long-term care facility.  It was recently awarded a 5-star rating from the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS), the highest rating possible.

Dr. Patricia Brown, PhD is the author and editor of this book.  She is a psychologist, educator and researcher, working for 18 years with the California State Department of Education.

“Our goal is to complete and publish the book by the June 2010.  We will be seeking community donations and grants for this book project for this year and for 2010,” adds Canha.

Anyone with old photos or memorabilia from Kula Hospital or those who would like to make a donation, can contact Canha via email at: acanha@hhsc.org.

(Posted by Wendy OSHER © 2009; Placeholder image courtesy:  http://www.kula.hhsc.org/)