Celebrating the Women Who Helped Build Overlake
Print
Share
This Women’s History Month, we are celebrating the women’s auxiliaries of Overlake who played a critical role in our founding.
The vision for high-quality healthcare on the Eastside first began in 1953 when community leaders and volunteers joined forces and set in motion a seven-year fundraising campaign. A dedicated group of women formed an auxiliary, led by Clyde Hill resident Lorraine Weltzien, and began raising money to bring the dream of the hospital to life.
By 1959, enough funds had been raised to begin construction of the hospital. One year later, the hospital officially opened its doors to the community with 56 beds.
Over the next 60 years, members of the auxiliaries continued to support medical excellence at Overlake through community engagement, outreach and fundraising—hosting numerous events and activities to help fund a variety of hospital programs.
Though Overlake’s auxiliaries have moved on to a well-deserved retirement, we will not forget their immense contributions and impact.
Overlake Auxiliaries: Celebrating 60 Years of Critical Work
