Donor story: Ketchikan family’s gifts honor heritage

The Salazar family has called Ketchikan, Alaska home for many generations. While geographically remote, it’s a close, caring community and the Salazar’s know the importance of being there for one another – both celebrating everyone’s successes and jumping in when there’s a need.

 

One way they support their community is by contributing their time and resources to the PeaceHealth Ketchikan Medical Center Foundation. Angela Salazar has served on the Foundation board and is very involved in the hospital’s annual Sole-Stice fundraiser.

 

Daughter, Tessa, has that same giving spirit. The 15-year-old organizes an annual Cookies for a Cause fundraiser.

 

“There isn’t another local organization (like PeaceHealth Ketchikan Medical Center) that we know of that benefits such a diverse group of people from all over the world really,” says Angela about why the Salazar family continues to support the hospital. “It’s a great way for us to give back to a community that has already given us so much.”

 

Giving to the hospital is also important to the Salazar’s because it’s a way to honor Brien Salazar’s grandfather, Dr. Louis A. Salazar, a licensed surgeon in the Territory of Alaska in 1935, who went on to work for the Sisters of St. Joseph’s hospital.

 

Brien shares, “We feel it’s not only a donation, but also an investment in our community and region that will benefit generations to come.”

 

 

Read more about philanthropic gifts to PeaceHealth in the 2019 Impact Report.