Philanthropy: A lifelong pursuit

For Craig and Lisa Lehman of Bolivar, giving back to their community is a lifelong pursuit that started by following the example set by their parents.

“Craig’s parents are very active in their church, and my parents were active in the community and especially the hospital,” Lisa said. “They were involved in school, and my dad was in Rotary. Philanthropy has always been a big thing, even in college. We were active in philanthropy organizations there, too. It seems like the natural thing to do.”

The family’s roots run deep at CMH. Lisa’s dad, Wayne Wilson, was a charter member of the Citizens Memorial Hospital District Board of Directors from 1978-2017. Her mother, Rowena Wilson, was a charter member of the CMH Auxiliary. They were both actively involved with the opening of the hospital.

Hospital board service

“My dad really believed that Bolivar needed a hospital,” Lisa said. “Not just Bolivar, but all the counties north of us and east and west. He was on the hospital board until his death and just loved everything about it. He was so proud of everything.”

Lisa recalls how much time her dad invested in the board, especially during the early years.

“I remember they were shopping for hospital beds,” Lisa said. “As a kid, I’m thinking, just buy beds, for crying out loud. I’m tired of hearing about them. Now, looking back, it’s pretty unique that they had that much hands-on involvement.

“My mom and dad pretty much ran their insurance office. Dad went to Indiana to look at the beds. When he was off doing that, my mom was running the office. Even though she wasn’t as active in the Auxiliary right then on a weekly basis, she kind of was because that allowed him to go and do those things for the hospital.”

Lisa also recalls her dad attending lengthy board meetings.

“Their meetings would last forever, I mean hours,” she said. “But yet, he would just light up talking about the hospital. If anybody brought up the hospital, he was going to talk about it, whether you wanted to hear about it or not.”

Auxiliary Service

“For the grand opening, the auxiliary women were taking their own irons and ironing curtains and ironing bed sheets to help get the hospital up and going,” Lisa said. “That is one of my fondest memories.”

The Auxiliary members then decided to start raising money for the hospital. They started a “potpourri” fundraiser that was the precursor to today’s annual Auxiliary Bake Sale.

“They made snacks, candy and crafts to sell because there wasn’t a gift shop at that time,” Lisa said. “It was a two-day event. I remember that we’d go to Frieda Sterling’s house and get her candy scale. Mom was very involved with the auxiliary, and I remember helping my mom setting up for the potpourri. She was still working full time, so she took the lead on that. She didn’t have as much time to volunteer during the week.”

Rowena was the chairperson for the Potpourri. Lisa is an active auxiliary member who now serves as the chairperson for the Bake Sale. Lisa has donated 1,025 volunteer hours and counting. While the CMH Auxiliary began with only women, men are now among the 310 current volunteers.

Why give to CMH?

From tending to their children’s sports injuries to caring for their parents in long-term care, Craig and Lisa have always depended on CMH and appreciated the convenience of quality health care close to home.

“We’re very fortunate to have such an outstanding hospital,” Craig said.

And while they have their own stories about the personal attention they have received at CMH, Lisa recalls another story that she says exemplifies what CMH does.

“The people who stay at the Tremain House get to order whatever they want off the menu. We had somebody there that wanted fish, but not fried fish,” Lisa said. “The chef that was on duty brought his pan and his fish over because he was afraid if it sat in a serving container for too long, it wouldn’t taste good. He did that for a cancer patient, just a little something extra for them.”

Their business — Craig Lehman-Shelter Insurance in Bolivar — has been the presenting sponsor for the annual Heroes for Hospice 5K/10K Run since 2021. They’ve also supported the Carrie J. Babb Cancer Center at CMH, Medical Excellence Scholarships, the Sporting Clay Shoot and the inaugural Soirée.

“When you give to the hospital, it reaches so many people,” Lisa said. “That’s why we like our dollars to go there. We don’t have to worry about where it’s going. We know that it’s going to be used in a way that it’s going to benefit a lot of people.”

Giving for future generations

“Technology changes so rapidly, particularly in the medical field, that it’s important that we have the current technology, but even more so for our kids and their kids and so that the hospital is prepared,” Craig said.

“It’s absolutely vital for our community to have those services going forward,” Lisa added. “And if you feel like you can’t donate monetarily, the auxiliary is the perfect way to also be able to give back.”

Whether you want to make a financial donation or volunteer with the CMH Auxiliary, you can contribute to your community’s future through CMH.

For more information about making a financial donation to CMH, call community relations and development at 417-328-6318. For more information about volunteering with the Auxiliary, call 417-328-6432.

To learn more about the Lehmans and their heart for giving, watch the video.