Recently I attended the Lunch and Learn at the Monadnock Center for History and Culture.

Michelle Stahl, the executive director, made a very informative and entertaining presentation on the history of Monadnock Community Hospital (MCH). The Hospital celebrated its 100th anniversary in June.

Michelle reminded us that Robert Parmelee donated his summer estate in 1919 to the residents of the Monadnock Region to be used as a hospital. He hoped that his donation would not only fulfill the need for a regional hospital, but also that area residents would consider it, theirs. This is an inspiring story. His dream became a reality as residents of the Monadnock Region gave of their time, talent and resources for a century to ensure the Hospital thrived and its doors would remain open to the public.

Now that the history of the hospital has been documented in the book, “A Century of Caring,” I can’t help but think about its future. The future of MCH is in our hands. It is up to us to carry on the legacy. Because of our current economic environment, MCH (like all small community hospitals) is still as dependent on philanthropic support today as it was on the day it opened its doors to the public in 1923.

What will future historians write about the Hospital in the next decade, in the next century? That story begins with us. Please remember the hospital in your future planned giving and nonprofit donations so it can continue to be ranked one of the best small hospitals in New Hampshire (National Quality Alliance) and one of the top 100 critical care hospitals in the US.

Barbara Miller

Peterborough