Welborn Baptist Foundation, Inc.

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Contact: Marjorie Z. Soyugenc

Executive Director and CEO

Welborn Baptist Foundation, Inc.

21 Southeast Third St., Suite 610

Evansville, Indiana 47708

(812) 437-8260

November 21, 2005

Donald B. Cox Memorial Grant Announced

Evansville, Indiana – the Board of Directors of the Welborn Baptist Foundation, Inc. has announced the creation of the Donald B. Cox Memorial Grant. The grant is named for longtime Welborn Memorial Baptist Hospital Director, Donald B. Cox, who died earlier this year. In addition to his service to the hospital, Cox was a founder and the first Chairman of the Welborn Foundation and was a Director of the Welborn Baptist Foundation at the time of his death.

“The Welborn name was so much a part of Don’s life that we wanted to find an appropriate way to honor his service both to Welborn and to the community”, said Welborn Baptist Foundation Chairman John M. Dunn. “We believe that this grant will make a lasting and appropriate legacy to honor Don’s name and his memory.”

The first recipient of the Donald B. Cox Memorial Grant is the American Red Cross, Southwestern Indiana Chapter. The Red Cross has been awarded $50,000 that will be used for the purchase and installation of eighteen (18) automated external defibrillators (AEDs) and eighteen (18) pediatric starter kits. The pediatric starter kits will facilitate the use of the AEDs on children, if necessary. The Grant will also fund training for up to 160 people. The AEDs will be placed in locations throughout the community, including: the LST Memorial; the Evansville Museum of Art; History and Science; the Civic Center; the Soldiers and Sailors Memorial Coliseum; the Vanderburgh County Health Department; the Eykamp Center of the Buffalo Trace Council, BSA; the offices of the Raintree Girl Scout Council; the YMCA’s Camp Carson; the Albion Fellows Bacon Center; the YWCA; the Evansville Association for the Blind; and Burdette Park. The award was presented at the Foundation’s annual Awards Banquet on Thursday evening by Mrs. Jean Cox, Don’s widow.

“The American Red Cross Southwestern Indiana Chapter is honored to be the first recipient of the Donald B. Cox Memorial Grant”, said Red Cross Executive Director Trish Devoy.  “Our mission is to provide the public with the education and equipment needed to respond to any type of emergency that may occur.  This funding will allow us to provide AEDs and training to several municipal facilities, and in turn, will create a safer community for all.”

“Based on his own experiences, Don had an interest and concern about cardiac care, especially for the public at large. We believe that this is an effort of which he would approve and be proud”, said Foundation Executive Director and CEO, Marjorie Soyugenc. “The Red Cross is to be commended for filling this vital community need. We are pleased to partner with them in this effort.”

The Donald B. Cox Memorial Grant will be given annually in an area of community need within the Foundation guidelines. In awarding the grant, the Foundation will attempt to reflect the interests and concerns that Don Cox held in his lifetime.

The award was presented to the American Red Cross at the Foundation’s annual Awards Banquet by Mrs. Jean Cox, Don’s widow.

**********************

Welborn Baptist Foundation, Inc. is the not-for-profit, private foundation created in 1999 from the sale of Welborn Baptist Hospital to St. Mary’s Medical Center and from additional assets of the hospital. The Foundation provides grants to not-for profit organizations that significantly contribute to community health and quality of life in a fourteen county area of Southeastern Illinois, Southwestern Indiana and Western Kentucky.