Lawrence Memorial Hospital Endowment Association celebrated its success from last year, looked forward to this year and awarded four people and two businesses with the 2012 Elizabeth Watkins Community Caring Award on Thursday during its annual meeting.

Members of the LMHEA board of directors, LMH board of trustees, physicians and other LMH employees praised the hospital and the work the endowment association does to improve and support it.

“When the community is invested in the hospital, it’s a better hospital,” said Dr. Charles Yockey, LMH chief of staff. “Our citizens don’t choose LMH because it is the only hospital in town but because it is the best hospital around.”

Yockey said much of the reason he thinks LMH is the best hospital around is because of the contributions made to the hospital by the endowment group.

“LMHEA not only raises money to help the hospital but … also are dedicated stewards of that money,” said Dr. Carla Phipps, 2012 endowment association president.

During the meeting, Phipps highlighted successful fundraising events hosted by the association in 2012, including the Hearts of Gold Campaign, Penny Jones Golf Tournament, Stepping Out Against Breast Cancer Dance and Mario’s Closet luncheon.

Kurt von Achen, 2013 endowment association president, said he was honored and privileged to take over the leadership position of the association and already has goals in mind for the year, including increasing philanthropic contributions to the hospital, continuing major gifts, continuing the planned giving campaign, educating LMH employees about what the endowment association does and educating the community about where its money is being spent.

“A major goal we have is to work better to communicate to the community what we do with the money,” von Achen said. “We need to tell folks how we use their money.”

Other new names on the LMHEA board of directors are Marilyn Dobski, vice president; Val Stella, secretary; and members Dr. Kelli Henderson, DDS; Starla Jones; and Doris Ricks.

The 2012 Elizabeth Watkins Community Caring Award honors people and businesses for their commitment and volunteering to the endowment association and hospital.

Winners of the award were community members Mark Gonzales and Jim and Bonnie Schwartzburg; two businesses, O’Malley Beverage and The Write Design; and one LMH employee, Becki Carl Stutz.

The association’s next event is the Arctic Blast, benefitting the Catch a Break Organization for local cancer patients and survivors. The dinner is at 6 p.m. Saturday at the Oread Hotel. For more information and tickets, visit lmhendowment.org/events/arctic-blast.