A deeply passionate supporter of Regional One Health, Alison Barton teamed up with Susan Arney, Nikki McVean, and Erica Coopwood to form ONE Club to sustain engagement with volunteers across the Mid-South.
After years of organizing volunteers and supporting various projects at Regional One Health, Alison Barton didn’t just see an opportunity to engage more people with the hospital through volunteerism, she took it upon herself to do something about it.
She started by discussing this need with a small number of women volunteers who were already involved with Regional One Health. The result of those conversations was ONE Club—a women’s auxiliary group whose members serve as role models of servant leadership and act as advocates for the hospital in their respective circles.
“The hospital is dealing with big issues. We didn’t want to create more work for the hospital — we wanted to support the hospital,” said Alison. “Whether it be creating capacity for NICU nurses through rocking babies, celebrating employees such as support staff who are often overlooked, or contributing to the hospital culture of giving.”
“ONE Club exists to connect those who want to plug in at Regional One Health with opportunities to do so in an impactful way.”
Today, ONE Club is comprised of 100 women who dedicate their time, energy, and financial support to the hospital.
“The success of ONE Club is directly attributable to Alison’s understanding of our vision coupled with her skills and resources. Alison and Jim are always thinking strategically about how they can plug in and make a difference. Their legacy will be much greater because of the people they have brought to our table,” said Tammie Ritchey.
The Barton’s involvement with Regional One Health started 10 years ago, when Alison’s father experienced a near fatal car crash hours away from Memphis. She and her husband, Jim, a lifelong Memphian, had heard of Regional One Health’s Level 1 Trauma Center and its reputation for saving lives. In the aftermath of the accident, they immediately requested Alison’s father be air lifted to the Elvis Presley Memorial Trauma Center at Regional One Health.
Though they were familiar with the hospital, they had never experienced the world-class service of Regional One Health firsthand until it saved Alison’s father’s life.
“You will never know how far your impact will go. The impact will go beyond you, your neighbor, or even your immediate community. The ripple effect of your donation will work to save lives in the tri-state area,” said Alison and Jim Barton
After spending time in the hospital, Alison and Jim built individual relationships with the doctors and nursing staff, all while witnessing the impact Regional One Health was having on other patients and families. It didn’t take long for the Bartons to recognize Regional One Health is an anchor in the Memphis community and throughout the entire Mid-South.
As Alison’s father healed and his time with the doctors and nurses at Regional One came to an end, Alison and Jim’s partnership with the hospital was just beginning.
“We know Regional One Health is an anchor in this community. It needs to thrive and be supported, whether that be through finances, volunteer time, or spreading the word. It wasn’t an option for us; we knew we had to invest in the hospital. ”
For Alison and Jim, that experience gave them a unique perspective and led them to organize volunteer efforts, host dinners, and arrange tours with friends to highlight reasons and ways to give to the hospital.
In 2014, Alison began serving on the Regional One Health Foundation board of directors. And before she knew it, she was tabbed as a chair of Regional One Health Foundation’s largest fundraiser of the year, ONE Night Gala.
When they aren’t giving back to the community and the hospital, Alison and Jim Barton are living their lives to the fullest and raising their three children in Memphis. The Barton family has used Regional One Health’s various service lines and have benefitted from the innovative medical solutions provided. In fact, Jim recently suffered an injury and needed an MRI, so he visited the East Campus of Regional One Health conveniently located near his office. Even with his familiarity of the hospital, he came away impressed by the care and hospitality he received as a patient.
“At Regional One Health, they were eager to help and wanted to create as much ease for me as possible,” said Jim Barton.
Alison and Jim Barton want to encourage anyone and everyone to invest in Regional One Health, whether that investment is finances, time, or spreading the word.
“You will never know how far your impact will go. The impact will go beyond you, your neighbor, or even your immediate community. The ripple effect of your donation will work to save lives in the tri-state area,” said Alison and Jim Barton
Alison and Jim never could have imagined Regional One Health being the place where Alison’s father would need life-saving care 10 years ago, or where Jim would need an MRI just this year. While they can’t predict how their lives will demand care from the hospital in the future, they have been proactive in planning their support, advocacy, and investment to the hospital. They are encouraged by Regional One Health’s recent growth and excited about the future, and hope you are, too.