Creating a legacy means making a difference to an organization. Lynn Martin has done just that through her strong commitment to Emerson Hospital, which has grown over the years. After being introduced to Emerson as a patient, Ms. Martin volunteered, working directly with hospital patients, and then represented the hospital in her community. Before long, she was supporting Emerson philanthropically. Today, she serves as chair of the Emerson Health Care Foundation.
“My relationship with Emerson began when I had two of my children there, and I had such a good experience,” says Ms. Martin. When the Acton Garden Club initiated flower-arranging as an occupational therapy program at the hospital, Ms. Martin, a member, was able to combine volunteering with her longstanding love of flowers.
“The program gave me the opportunity to work with patients, but not as a clinician,” she says. “It was satisfying for me to see how expressing their creativity helped the patients, and I got an insider’s look at how good the care is at Emerson.”
When Ms. Martin was asked to join Emerson as a corporator in 2002, representing the town of Acton, she was happy to do so. “It exposed me to the administration of the hospital,” she recalls. “I remember attending breakfast meetings where Emerson physicians made presentations on everything from rheumatology to shoulder reconstruction. I learned a lot.”
She began to support Emerson by giving to the Annual Appeal and, in 2009, joined the Annual Appeal Committee, eventually serving as committee chair. She hosted a house party for friends of the hospital in 2010 to bolster interest in the hospital and underscore the importance of annual giving. “The unrestricted funds provided by Emerson’s Annual Appeal are of critical importance to the hospital’s fiscal health,” notes Ms. Martin.
So are planned gifts, which support Emerson over the long term. “I’ve made a bequest provision to benefit Emerson,” Ms. Martin says. “I have such good feelings for Emerson and I want to make arrangements now that will help support it in the future.”
