Impact Stories

Honoring a Generation of Distinguished Supporters

If one person’s impact on Virginia Mason is worth celebrating, it might be even more noteworthy when a group of people make an even greater contribution. That’s why Virginia Mason honored an extraordinary group of philanthropists with the 2018 Meurk Distinguished Service Award.

This award usually recognizes an outstanding individual or couple. In 2018, we collectively honored all previous Meurk awardees for their longstanding service and financial support.  

“This year we wanted to acknowledge the combined contributions of all awardees, because it’s incredibly powerful to have a group of people committed to our work in this significant way,” says Dr. Gary Kaplan, Virginia Mason Chairman and CEO.

Together, this group has served 317 years on our boards, with some still serving as active board members. They’ve also donated over $58 million to help us deliver lifesaving care and make that care even better. For example, their support has helped Virginia Mason:

• Further our vision to Transform Health Care, through improving quality and reducing costs
• Meet the needs of people living with HIV/AIDS through our work at Bailey-Boushay House
• Enhance our Separation and Loss Services to provide grief groups and individual therapy for people grappling with sudden, traumatic loss
• Translate the research discoveries of Benaroya Research Institute into treatments for immune system diseases like multiple sclerosis or rheumatoid arthritis

The awardees include the award’s namesakes, Jacki and Carl Meurk, as well as Mary Louise Rasmuson, Jack and Becky Benaroya, Bob and Barbara Buck, Jay and Pam Green, Dick and Connie Albrecht, Travis and Susie Keeler, Anne and Lang Simons, Harry and Judi Mullikin, Dick and Bonnie Robbins, Ann Wyckoff, Floyd Jones, Dave and Susan Moffet, Frank Shrontz, John Ryan and Jody Foster, George and Wendy Weyerhaeuser, Helen Hunt Walker Weyerhaeuser and Leonard and Norma Klorfine.

“The contributions of this group have been invaluable,” Dr. Kaplan says. “Virginia Mason has become the organization we are today in large part because of the vision and dedication of these honorees.”