To add to the drama of the 100-year anniversary gala at the Hard Rock Casino in Gary, Ind., Methodist Hospitals CFO and Vice President of Finance Lauren Trumbo wanted to create a long-lasting commemoration of Methodist Hospitals’ centennial. In considering how to memorialize this significant milestone, Trumbo turned to art and commissioned Mitch Markovitz to paint a poster of Methodist Hospitals.
As Markovitz had already painted many posters for South Shore Convention & Visitors Authority and other businesses in Northwest Indiana, Trumbo knew he would be able to beautifully capture Methodist Hospitals in a style familiar to the Region.
“He was already familiar with our hospital in our healthcare system, so we told him to let his creative and artistic juices flow,” Trumbo said. “He looked at some pictures of our facility on the internet, and we let him do his thing. We didn't want the direction coming from us; we wanted that poster to come from his artistic and creative abilities.”
Markovitz and his wife had previously visited Methodist Hospitals as patients, so understanding the look and feel of the hospitals helped Markovitz design the poster.
“They told me what they were hoping to portray. I painted the main images of the old hospital with the newer hospital in the background and in the sky,” Markovitz said. “I like dealing with everybody. It’s a real community kind of feeling.”
While the inclusion of both hospital campuses on the poster represented Methodist Hospitals’ unity and sense of community, Trumbo appreciates many of the other little details that speak to Methodist Hospitals’ mission and vision.
“For me, the sun at the top shining down on both of those hospitals symbolizes the stability, the endurance, and the future of the healthcare organization. I think that's the best part,” Trumbo said.
The choice to commemorate 100 years in poster form enabled Methodist Hospitals to easily share its centennial celebration with others. Posters can be purchased and posted throughout the community, spreading Methodist Hospitals’ legacy as both a healthcare organization and the only independent safety net organization in Northwest Indiana.
“I hope our employees that are working for us, our past employees that have retired, and our future generation of employees get a sense of pride when they see those posters,” Trumbo said.
As the posters celebrate 100 years, they are selling for $100. All proceeds from poster purchases will be dedicated to the Methodist Hospitals Vision Fund, established in 2023 by the Methodist Hospitals Foundation. The purpose of the Vision Fund is to support efforts by the hospital to address issues such as infant mortality and food insecurity. The gala at Hard Rock Casino raised $600,000 for the Vision Fund.
To learn more about Methodist Hospitals’ commemorative poster or purchase a copy, click here.
For more information about Methodist Hospitals, visit www.methodisthospitals.org.
