Virginia Gay Hospital in Vinton will be celebrating an important milestone in its ongoing $8.5 million expansion and renovation project.  Improved areas will be open for public touring this week, including imaging services (with new equipment and private waiting areas, emergency services (now with five fully equipped private exam rooms), therapy and rehabilitation (featuring a new hydrotherapy pool) and acute care, which is now fully private and completely remodeled.

It was 95 years ago this year that former Vinton resident Virginia Gay willed $50,000 to the city for the purpose of building a hospital.  With that initial donation (worth more than $1 million in today’s dollars), the hospital was able to open in 1923.  Today, her namesake hospital has more than 200 employees and provides more than $9 million to the local economy.

Much like Virginia Gay herself, the people of Vinton and Benton County continue to invest in their hospital.  More than $2 million was raised to support the $8.5 million effort.