A capital campaign for Children's Hospital's $31.8 million construction/renovation project began with $5 million pledged from three area families to support the $10 million campaign.

Bob and Wendy Goodfriend have been staunch supporters of Children's Hospital since 1983. The Goodfriends and Goody's Family Clothing, Inc. have been the largest donors to the Children's Miracle Network Telethon every year since its establishment 24 years ago. They were the first Platinum Sponsor of the Fantasy of Trees and were the Founders and Founding Underwriters of the hospital's annual Center Stage Celebrity Gala, which they continue to chair. Bob also served on the hospital Board from 1989 to 2005, including several terms as its Treasurer.

The Goodfriends committed $3 million to the capital campaign. Because of this gift and their long history of thoughtful support, the hospital's Board of Directors honored multiple generations of their family by naming the new Children's Hospital seven-story patient facility the "Goodfriend Tower."

The Haslam family name has become virtually synonymous with philanthropy in East Tennessee. The Haslams and their company, Pilot Corp., have also been involved supporters of Children's Hospital for many years. Jim Haslam served on the hospital Board from 1963 to 1973. Pilot has supported the Children's Miracle Network Telethon since its inception in 1983 and has generously supported the Fantasy of Trees since its beginning in 1985. The Haslam family and Pilot were also founding Underwriters of the Center Stage event and continue their support of this major event for Children's Hospital.

The Haslam Family pledged $1 million to the capital funds campaign, and the hospital's expanded Neonatal Intensive Care Unit, which serves premature and critically ill newborns from throughout East Tennessee, Southwest Virginia, Southeastern Kentucky and Western North Carolina, was named the "Haslam Family Neonatal Intensive Care Unit" to honor their unselfish history of support.

Scott M. Niswonger of Greeneville, Tenn., is the founder of Landair Transport, Inc., and Forward Air Transport, Inc. He has been involved with Children's Hospital as a donor to the Children's Miracle Network Telethon and as an Underwriter of Center Stage. Niswonger, a benevolent supporter of health care, education and community improvement, made a commitment of $1 million to the campaign. The expanded Emergency Department, which treats more than 65,000 children each year, was named the "Scott M. Niswonger Emergency Department" in his honor.

Plaques honoring the generosity of each of these major donors were placed in the respective patient care areas recognizing their philanthropic contributions to Children's Hospital.

Children's Hospital's medical and hospital staffs also made significant contributions to the Capital Campaign. Hospital employee contributed $233,300 to help fund the new Atrium in the Second and Third Floor Inpatient areas, as well as the hospital's new Family Resource Center, which provides patients' families with a variety of resources to help them learn about their child's medical condition.

The Medical/Dental Staff at Children's Hospital pledged an additional $791,200 to the campaign's Physician Division. Specific hospital areas will be named for physicians contributing to the campaign.

"The completion of our construction/renovation project and the announcement of this capital funds campaign marked one of the most significant moments in our history," said Bob Koppel, President/CEO Emeritus of Children's Hospital. "We are delighted with our new and expanded facilities to care for the children of East Tennessee and are very grateful for the tremendous support of our generous lead donors, hospital staff and physicians. They have all set a tremendous example of thoughtful philanthropy."

"There are meaningful opportunities for anyone in East Tennessee who is interested in the future of our children to participate in our capital funds campaign," Koppel noted. "Children's Hospital is committed to providing excellent health care to all children entrusted to our care. Private gifts continue to be a vitally important link that helps make our mission a reality. It cannot be stressed enough that the hospital welcomes and appreciates the generous support from our community."

The public phase of the capital funds campaign is a region-wide initiative reaching out to individuals, companies, associations and organizations to pledge their financial support. Pledges can be paid over three to five years and donors can give cash, stock, land or other assets of value. It is also possible for donors to make planned gifts that could provide a life income to a donor.

For more information about the Children's Hospital Capital Funds Campaign, contact David Rule, Director of Development at Children's Hospital, at (865) 541-8244.