27 Mar Telluride Med Center Foundation: Telluride Women Give!
The Telluride Medical Center Foundation’s Telluride Women Gives is about building a culture of engagement and generosity through a giving circle determined to give back to its donors in the form of networking and lectures. Donations large and small are welcome.
To become a member of Telluride Women Give or make a donation click here. As always, the Telluride Regional Med Center Foundation is happy to answer your questions and take your feedback. Contact Telluride Medical Center Foundation Director Katie Singer (970)729-1807 or ksinger@tellmed.org.
Telluride Women Give Committee: Dr. Sharon Grundy, Dr. Diana Koelliker, Jena Atlass, Hannah Max, Alline Arguelles, Katie Singer.
Yes.
And.
Yes – the group known as “Telluride Women Gives” (TWG) enjoys getting together at one another’s homes to banter over drinks and small bites.
And – the philanthropic circle really makes a difference in the greater Telluride region, Through the generosity of this leadership network of community-minded women the Telluride Medical Center/Hospital District has been able to offer enhanced service and purchase much-needed equipment, upping the ante on the care local docs are able offer on site.
And also – what goes around, comes around: TWG is the gift that keeps on giving. Some of that bounty circles back to its members.
The aforementioned gatherings of this tribe are not just all fun and games. The point of the evenings is also to help members of Telluride Women Gives stay abreast of topical health care issues and find solutions to improve their well-being and the lives of those they love.
Writing on behalf of TWG, Telluride Medical Center Director Katie Singer explains further:
“Thanks to all who attended the first event of Telluride Women Give 2025. We are grateful to our hosts, Hannah and Diane Max, event sponsors: Telluride Table, Mountain Village Wine Merchant and the National; and to the partnering organizations who joined the cause. Thanks to so many of you who have donated. As you may know, Telluride Women Give members take a deep dive into health care issues that affect women and their families and help to create solutions the improve their health and the well-being of the people they love. Using the power of collective philanthropy, members pool their annual contributions and collaboratively fund programs, projects or new equipment for Telluride Regional Medical Center. The group’s efforts drive innovative and often life-saving services and technology that can really make a difference right here in Telluride.”
If you missed that event the following is a recap. This year, 2025, TWG’s focus is on funding for women’s reproductive healthcare.
According to the World Health Organization (WHO) reproductive health is a state of complete physical, mental and social well-being in all matters relating to the reproductive system. Reproductive health implies that people can have a satisfying and safe sex life, the capability to reproduce and the freedom to decide if, when and how often to do so. Like many services in San Miguel County, reproductive health services can be difficult to access due to financial restrictions and additional barriers.
Until 2021, the San Miguel County Department of Public Health ran state-funded clinical services to provide free or reduced-price contraception, STI testing and treatment, and basic preventative care. When Public Health ended these services the Telluride Regional Medical Center took on continued provision of these services to ALL patients, regardless of ability to pay, through grant funding and the support of private donors, including Women Give, the San Miguel County Board of County Commissioners, and Colorado Cares.
The Foundation is proud to say that it has filed for and expects to receive Title X funding in 2025, which will allow the program the same state-funded support received by the previous Public Health program. However, due to recent changes to federal program funding and expected budget cuts the Colorado Department of Public Health slashed the initial possible award from $300,000/year for program support to $75,000/year. Given this gap, potential cuts to Medicaid, and increased demand for these services the Med Center needs ongoing community, grant and regional support to continue to provide high-quality services to any woman who walks through its doors. But the Med Center is currently facing a funding gap of $135,800 for low- or no-cost reproductive health services.
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