Annual fundraiser’s impact spans years, building a healthier East Pierce
At a glance
- Corks & Crush is an annual fundraising gala put on by MultiCare Good Samaritan Foundation
- The fundraiser supports programs and services at MultiCare Good Samaritan Hospital
- Past events have benefited Good Samaritan’s emergency department, inpatient rehab and stroke outcomes
Corks & Crush, MultiCare Good Samaritan Foundation’s annual fundraising gala, is one of East Pierce County’s glitziest nights of the year.
Lavish finishes transform the Washington State Fair Events Center, complementing rich red and sparkling white offerings from partnering wineries. Equally glamorous are the more than 400 guests dressed to the nines for the occasion.
The event’s crowning moment occurs when attendees raise their bid cards into the air, championing the evening’s cause.
For this year’s Corks & Crush, proceeds will provide continued access to affordable, high-quality health care at MultiCare Good Samaritan Hospital.
Expanding access to care
East Pierce County is projected to grow by more than 13,000 residents in less than six years, significantly increasing demand for local health care programs and services.
With philanthropic support through channels like Corks & Crush, Good Samaritan can ensure a healthy, thriving community by addressing unmet needs, lack of education and resources, delays in accessing proper care, and more.
Past Corks & Crush donations are expanding the third-busiest emergency department in the U.S., advancing rehabilitation services and improving Good Samaritan stroke patient outcomes.
Meeting high volumes
On average, 32 of the 46 beds at Good Samaritan’s emergency department are occupied by patients, yet visits to the department are on the rise. This is the perfect recipe for overcrowding.
With so little room available, people are sometimes seen in the waiting room or cared for in hallways.
Corks & Crush 2023 is helping change that by funding construction of a new triage area. The space will house multiple bays that can accommodate stretchers, along with equipment that assists with patient safety and facilitates medical professionals’ work.
“This is going to enable us to see patients quicker with more space in the front end to be able to safely evaluate people,” explains Bret Lambert, MD, medical director for Good Samaritan’s emergency department. “If we hadn’t repurposed the triage area, and if we were practicing how we did in the pre-COVID days waiting for a room to open up, you would be having six- to eight-hour waits.
“Initial work on revamping the triage area has already reduced our wait time to see a doctor to well under an hour on average, and we hope to further reduce this time upon completion of construction,” Dr. Lambert continues.
New vehicle increases rehab patients’ independence
Good Samaritan Regional Rehabilitation Center’s adaptive driving program has operated for 50 years and is the only hospital-based program in Washington state. However, the program’s two-door sedan was old, outdated and not accessible for everyone.
Corks & Crush 2022 proceeds remedied the problem by helping purchase a new SUV with state-of-the-art features. More cabin space also means more rehab inpatients can practice driving with controls they can later buy for their own cars, encouraging independence post-discharge. 
The updated vehicle also paves the way to reach a new population.
“Our future goal is to expand to our outpatient population so that people can come through and request to have adaptive driving training if they’ve had a spinal cord injury, stroke or brain injury, and they could go through their insurance,” shares Cathryn Shaffer, occupational therapist and rehab therapy manager. “That’s a great service that we can provide to our community.”
Progressing neurological care
In 2021, Corks & Crush centered on improving stroke outcomes, starting with education.
Philanthropy has helped providers and nurses get certified in treating neurology patients, host courses for stroke certification, pay for exams and more, according to Karissa LaClair, DNP, ARNP, director, stroke program quality management.
“Education is huge for what we’ve been able to do and offer our patients,” she says. “It’s demonstrating that we’re committed to excellence.”
By having this level of expertise close to home, East Pierce County residents can take comfort knowing they’re in good hands at Good Samaritan, should a neurological event arise.
People in Pierce County are also more likely to know the warning signs of stroke, thanks to a Corks & Crush-powered public awareness campaign and sponsored materials to bolster a greater presence at community events. Knowledge of symptoms is key to reducing door-to-treatment times, decreasing patient mortality and creating a healthier community.
You’re invited to Corks & Crush 2024
Good Samaritan’s emergency department, rehabilitation center services and stroke program improvements and advancements are rooted in community generosity.
On Saturday, May 18, you can make a difference for your East Pierce family members, friends and neighbors by attending Good Samaritan Foundation’s wine tasting gala, bidding during silent and live auctions and giving in the Fund-A-Need portion of the program.
For Corks & Crush 2024 guests, Shaffer has this message of gratitude: “Thank you for thinking of health care, of thinking of supporting people in the community that are having a crisis and in the hospital. Every patient we help (is) a member of our community.”
