THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1996, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: Sunday, September 8, 1996 TAG: 9609080049
SECTION: LOCAL PAGE: B1 EDITION: FINAL
SOURCE: BY MARIE JOYCE, STAFF WRITER
LENGTH: 125 lines
When they started, the group of women had enough money to hire a nurse. She traveled Norfolk on foot, tending to families who couldn't otherwise afford health care. The next year, the women were able to buy her a bike.
One hundred years later, that group, now grown to 1,500 members, helps support a high-tech hospital and health system. Their goals - to care for children and their families - are the same.
Today the Norfolk City Union of the King's Daughters - the philanthropic group that founded Children's Hospital of The King's Daughters - celebrates its centennial with a party thanking the public.
The Union is a coalition of 67 small groups, some with up to a few dozen members, in neighborhoods throughout Hampton Roads. The individual circles still tackle modest projects that might bring in $40 or so, as well as larger efforts that net a few thousand dollars.
Together, they take on very big projects. They help set hospital policy. And, by the end of this year, they will have raised $2 million for the hospital's five-year capital campaign, said Lisa F. Chandler, coalition president.
The Norfolk circles started as general service groups in 1886. Ten years later, they joined forces to focus on health care for poor families. Eventually, they had dozens of nurses making home visits. By 1929, they had a 26-bed clinic on Yarmouth Street.
when she started her family 58 years agoe started her family 58 years ago. She was just a teen-ager, and her husband made $23 every two weeks - not enough for hospital services.
A nurse and two young doctors delivered both her children at her house. Each time, she stayed in bed for 10 days after delivery, and a King's Daughters nurse visited daily to check on her.
She paid about $6 for a delivery and follow-up care. People who could not manage that paid nothing.
``Most people in those days were going to King's Daughters, because they couldn't afford to go to a hospital,'' said Edwards, who lives in Portsmouth. Without them ``I really don't know what would have happened.''
The group's first hospital was built on Colley Avenue in 1961.
Today, Children's Hospital - on the original site - boasts 186 beds along with high-tech facilities such as a neonatal intensive care unit. The hospital is part of Children's Health System, a network that includes doctor's practices, outpatient services and clinics.
King's Daughters sit on the system board, although they don't comprise a majority. Their volunteers are aided by a three-person staff. Although they once were affiliated with a network of King's Daughters philanthropies around the world, they are now independent.
Their fund-raising activities include the annual Walk for the Children, and 13 thrift stores. Some members also volunteer at the hospital.
The hospital still treats the poor - half the facility's revenue comes from Medicaid, the government insurance program for the poor. The King's Daughters remain a women's group, although there are men in the community who actively support them.
One of those is Stephen Ballard. The owner of S.B. Ballard Construction became involved about nine years ago, not long after he lost one of his children. King's Daughters members visited his office to talk about their annual fund-raising race. He started helping as tribute to the memory of his son. Since then, he's helped sponsor many of their events, impressed by their hard work.
``King's Daughters are the most dedicated group of women I've ever seen in my life,'' he said.
The group plans to advocate more strongly for children's health issues, perhaps launching a campaign to promote the use of bicycle helmets, Chandler said. Today's party will include a bike safety course, with free helmets for the first 500 children who complete it.
They'll also work to form partnerships with other local service groups to help with fund-raising, and they will work with the health system to advocate preventative health care, Chandler said.
``We have a long way to go,'' she said. ILLUSTRATION: Photo
Edith Nason, a nurse from Chicago, was hired one hundred years ago
as the first visiting nurse. She made 1,771 house calls during her
first year. By 1916, the nursing staff had grown to 10 and made
20,000 calls in a year.
Color photo
BETH BERGMAN/The Virginian-Pilot
Nita Reed, 76, has been volunteering at Children's Hospital of The
King's Daughters for the past 10 years. She is escorting Valerie
Ward to see her daughter.
Graphics
OVER THE YEARS...
1896 - Local women's service organizations unite to form the
Norfolk City Union of the King's Daughters under the leadership of
Margaret Roper (later Margaret Roper Moss). They devote themselves
to health care for poor families. They pool funds to hire a nurse to
visit patients at home, later hiring more nurses.
1914 - The group, with the help of volunteer physicians, starts a
clinic. Two years later, they buy a building on West York Street.
1929 - A 26-bed clinic is built on nearby Yarmouth Street.
1961 - The first Children's Hospital is built on Colley Avenue
with 88 beds.
1976 - The King's Daughters launch a three-year, $5 million
campaign to expand the hospital to 128 beds.
1984 - To adapt to changes in the health care business, the group
reorganizes to form Children's Health System, an integrated health
care network.
1991 - The King's Daughters commit to raising $2 million for the
hospital's five-year renovation project.
1996 - The organization, with membership now spread throughout
Hampton Roads and into North Carolina, continues to work at fund
raising. The efforts include the annual Walk for the Children and 13
thrift stores. Some members also volunteer at the 186-bed hospital
and sit on the health system board.
WANT TO GO?
The 100th anniversary celebration will be held today, from 1 to 4
p.m., in the parking lot next to Children's Hospital of The King's
Daughters, at the corner of Raleigh Avenue and Children's Lane.
There will be amusements, ice cream and lemonade, and demonstrations
of in-line skating and bike safety.
KEYWORDS: CHILDREN'S HOSPITAL OF THE KING'S DAUGHTERS
ANNIVERSARY CENTENNIAL TIMELINE HISTORY by CNB