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June 3, 2003


 



Emory Crawford Long Hospital Auxiliary Donates World's Largest Tuned Wind
Chime

Contribution Latest in String of Projects That Make ECLH a Distinctive Blend of Science and Nature



ATLANTA ­ One step inside the new Emory Crawford Long Hospital (ECLH) and patients and visitors notice something unusual - this is not an ordinary hospital. With a waterwall leading to the medical office tower, an aviary teeming with various kinds of birds, and luscious gardens and fishponds, Crawford Long feels more like a luxury hotel than the stereotypical hospital.

And now it feels like a luxury hotel equipped with the world’s largest wind chime.

The wind chime ­ the latest gift in a long line of contributions by the Emory Crawford Long Hospital Auxiliary ­ will be released at 11 a.m. Wednesday, June 4 on the grounds facing Peachtree Street in front of the hospital. Following the wind chime release, the Auxiliary will dedicate also a new employee lounge with a program and brief reception in the lounge, located on the first floor of the Davis-Fischer Building.

Designed by Ken Orr of High Grove Partners, the overall structure on the hospital grounds is 24 feet high and weighs a massive 2,300 pounds. The wind chime itself is a basso profundo model with an overall length of 14 feet and weighs around 200 pounds. The chime is produced by Music of the Spheres and the company has received approval to list the basso profundo in the Guinness Book of World Records as the world’s largest tuned wind chime. According to Kris Irwin, a spokesperson for the company, between 10 and 20 basso profundos have been sold worldwide but this one is the first to be bought by a hospital.

"Emory Crawford Long Hospital has a commitment to making people healthy," said John D. Henry, Sr., FACHE, CEO of Emory Hospitals and Wesley Woods Center. "Offering comprehensive care includes providing an environment that appeals to all the senses. Our Auxiliary has been successful in putting Crawford Long at the forefront of providing comprehensive care through strategically choosing projects to support and then tirelessly pursuing completion of them."

The Auxiliary was an integral part of making the new $270 million Emory Crawford Long Hospital a distinctive blend of nature and science. Auxiliary projects such as the aviaries, the fish tanks, the waterwalls and the gardens create a welcome and restorative setting for patients and their families.

For nearly 50 years, the Auxiliary has been an important part of Emory Crawford Long Hospital. Auxilians have donated thousands of hours of their time, talent and resources to ensure Crawford Long continues to offer the most caring environment a hospital can. Auxiliary projects have helped shaped the Crawford Long campus both inside and out.

"The Auxiliary has had a tremendous impact on Emory Crawford Long Hospital," said Albert K. Blackwelder, FACHE, COO of ECLH. "The wind chime is a highly visible symbol of those contributions and the new employee lounge illustrates the direct impact the Auxiliary has on our employees. By giving us tools and facilities to do our jobs better, the Auxiliary improves our ability to deliver the highest standard of patient care."

These recent contributions cap a notable list of Auxiliary projects. But the accomplishments of the Auxiliary go beyond those important gifts. Auxilians also manage the gift shop and Thrift Boutique, help greet and direct patients and their families, deliver mail to patients, provide comfort in the surgical intensive care waiting room and support community events.


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