Woody Stewart, chairman of The Medical Center Foundation Board of Trustees, recently announced that long-time hospital supporters Philip and Mary Hart Wilheit have made a $700,000 lead signature gift to The Medical Center Foundation’s third phase of the Healthy Journey campaign to name the North Patient Tower (NPT) Entrance Garden at Northeast Georgia Medical Center (NGMC) in memory of their parents Tom and Jane Eve Wilheit and Jack and Mildred Keys. “Both of our parents loved beautiful yards and landscapes so the North Patient Tower Entrance Garden was the perfect setting for our gift,” says Mary Hart Wilheit.

The Entrance Garden is the largest of five donor gardens on the NGMC campus and can be enjoyed from inside or outside the NPT as it spans 20,000 square feet across the Tower’s main concourse, connecting North Entrance 3 at the Tower’s rotunda to the Dawn McKibbon Memorial Chapel.

The Entrance Garden will provide a convenient and easily accessible outdoor destination for patients, families, visitors and staff to seek retreat at NGMC. The garden will include a water feature, seating areas, accent lighting, a rainwater collection system and a maintenance endowment, which ensures the long-term sustainability required for the life of the garden. In addition, one or more special sculptures are planned and will be designed by Mary Hart Wilheit, who is known for her unique metal artistry and has been
commissioned for several pieces.

“The use of the outdoor environment to enhance healing is a national trend,” explains Woody Stewart. “In an effort to bring healing gardens to our community hospital, the Foundation has partnered with NGMC to make the gardens grow and come to life only with donor funding. We are incredibly grateful for Philip and Mary
Hart Wilheit’s signature gift to name the Entrance Garden.”

The Wilheits have been longtime supporters of Northeast Georgia Health System (NGHS). Philip Wilheit served on the NGHS Board from 1986 – 2007, serving as its chair beginning in 1993; he continues to serve on the Board as chair emeritus. Mary Hart Wilheit is a life member of The Medical Center Auxiliary and past chair of the Auxiliary’s annual fundraiser, Marketplace. The Wilheits made a signature gift in 2004, along with the late Wilbur and Dixie Ramsey, to name the John A. Ferguson, Jr. Conference Room in honor of Ferguson’s 40 years of service as president and CEO of NGHS.