The Lawrence Memorial Hospital Endowment Association gave record support to the hospital in 2007.

“It was probably the best year in the history of the Endowment Association,” said Kathy Clausing, Lawrence Memorial Hospital’s vice president and chief development officer. “We had wonderful leadership with our volunteer board of directors.”

The association distributed more than $3.3 million, including roughly $2.7 million for construction.

Other funds went to patient care services, fundraising event costs, education programs, administrative expenses and gifts to departments. These gifts included such items as a fetal heart monitor for the maternity department, a defibrillator for intensive care and a prostate laser for surgery.

The association celebrated its efforts at its annual meeting Tuesday at Maceli’s, 1031 N.H.

“The state of our hospital is good – it’s very, very good,” LMH president and CEO Gene Meyer said.

Meyer noted the hospital’s expansion project. The hospital in July opened a 19,000-square-foot wing housing 18 private patient rooms and two nursing stations.

The hospital also continued work on its East Tower that will house new, larger emergency, ICU and maternity departments.

But Meyer also said the hospital faces challenges ahead with competition, decreasing reimbursements, increasing numbers of uninsured patients, future capital needs and aging physicians and associates.

“This is so critical that we continue to replenish the excellent medical staff that we have,” he said.

The meeting also welcomed new members of the endowment board of directors, Jeff Morrison, Richard Orchard and Carla Phipps. Morrison is owner of Prairie Asset Management LLC and co-founder of Campuscloth.com. Orchard is a retired ophthalmologist. Phipps is a board-certified family practitioner.

The board of directors set new officers. Stan Zaremba is the new president.

Several were honored with the Elizabeth Watkins Award, given to individuals and businesses who support community health care.

This year’s winners were Ross and Marianna Beach, Joanne Hurst, Miles and Paula Schnaer of Crown Chevrolet Toyota Scion, and Dave Bach of Das Autohaus.