The large donations over the past few years to help build important social or cultural assets is a wonderful sign of a region maturing, and will ultimately impact all community causes, including those around the Parkway, as the importance of our natural resources begins to resonate with donors and as donor-friendly vehicles are created.
An excerpt.
Charity hits new heights
Sutter hails Oses' $10 million, other big gifts for expansion
By Todd Milbourn -- Bee Staff Writer Published 12:01 am PDT Friday, August 4, 2006
The family of a Sacramento developer is donating $10 million for Sutter Medical Center's massive expansion project in midtown, hospital officials said Thursday.
The donation, by Enlow Ose and Melena Adams Ose, is one of the largest charitable gifts in Sacramento history and, viewed alongside other recent multimillion-dollar gifts, has some observers wondering if philanthropy in Sacramento is rising to a new level.
"These gifts mark the beginning of a new era in philanthropy in Sacramento," said Ralph Andersen, chairman of Sutter's capital campaign, which received a separate $18 million pledge last year from the family of building industry executive Fred Anderson. "I'm hoping these donations will serve as inspiration to our community and those who would like to step forward."
Sutter officials announced the Ose gift, and four other donations of $1 million each, at a Thursday press conference in the hospital's lobby. They said the main hospital at 28th and L streets will be renamed the Ose Adams Medical Pavilion once the renovation is finished, which they expect in 2011.
Enlow Ose, 82, told the crowd of hospital workers, television crews and local politicians that he felt inspired to give because of the "tradition of quality care provided by Sutter," which over the years has served many members of his family.
"It's a great way to reach a great many people in the community," said Ose, a longtime Sacramento philanthropist who's also given to the Crocker Art Center, the Sacramento Region Community Foundation and his alma mater, Iowa State University.
