Maria Lorensen, seated left, development director of Hospice of the Panhandle, and Margaret Cogswell, CEO, show plans for the “Building the Dream” campaign to BCT President and CEO Bob Baronner. The Bank of Charles Town recently made a five-year, $60,000 pledge to the Hospice capital campaign.

MARTINSBURG A $60,000 pledge by the Bank of Charles Town BCT pushed the organization’s “Building the Dream” campaign over the $1 million mark.

Bank President and CEO Bob Baronner said the bank made the pledge, which will be paid over five years, in recognition of its employees and in support of “all the wonderful work that Hospice does.”

“BCT is very happy to help Hospice of the Panhandle with this very important project,” Baronner said. “Given BCT’s longstanding commitment to the community in general and Hospice’s longstanding service, it just made sense for us to show our support in a large way.”

The $3 million capital campaign is designed to build a 14-bed inpatient hospice house and consolidate offices on a 19-acre campus at the Berkeley-Jefferson county border. The hospice house will provide short-term pain and symptom management and respite care for Hospice patients; the offices will bring together staff from five current offices in Berkeley and Jefferson counties. Campaign committees in each of the four counties that Hospice serves Berkeley, Jefferson, Morgan and Hampshire have been meeting for approximately the last year and a half and seeking monetary support and raising awareness for the project in the community.

“This pledge by BCT is absolutely wonderful,” said the Rev. GT Schramm, chair of the capital campaign and chair of Hospice’s Board of Directors. “I can’t say enough about how pleased we are to receive such solid support from both individuals and businesses throughout the four counties.”

Other major business donors include Charles Town Races and Slots, the Center for Orthopedic Excellence and Bowles Rice McDavid Graff and Love.

Hospice of the Panhandle is a not-for-profit organization that has been providing primarily in-home care to patients facing life-threatening illnesses. In May, it celebrated its 30th anniversary. The organization has experienced tremendous growth, especially over the past three years.

In addition to the monetary pledges received to date, state and local government and community leaders from each of the four counties have publicly indicated their support of Building the Dream by writing letters and resolutions and recognizing Hospice of the Panhandle at their meetings.

Hospice CEO Margaret Cogswell said that the groundswell of support isn’t surprising, given how appreciative families are of the services they receive from Hospice of the Panhandle.

“Everyone knows someone who has been touched by Hospice,” Cogswell said. “I continually tell our staff that the reason this campaign continues to be successful is because of the excellent work that has been performed for the past 30 years. It’s truly a privilege to do that work.”