The campus of Dayton Children’s Hospital, 1 Children’s Plaza, is transforming so it can meet the continuing needs of youth in the Miami Valley area. Troy Rotary hosted several representatives from the hospital during their February 2nd meeting. Members learned all about the updates that will make being at the facility more convenient for families whose children rely on the well-rounded and responsive pediatric medical center. The hospital provides services for children from birth to 21 years of age, with a few exceptions.

“Reaching New Heights” is the motto and tagline of the $153 million expansion and renovation project currently underway. Destination 2020 is the hospital’s long-term strategic plan that began in 2012. The four key areas of the plan include exceptional patient experience, focusing on what the staff does well, integrating community-based physicians with hospital-based doctors, and fostering partnerships with other networks and medical groups. Included in the changes are ways to accommodate travel needs when family members of a patient want to be on hand to support the child’s recovery. The expansion includes a new seven-floor tower being built on land made available through the demolition of old, existing structures. The new building is due to open in April 2017. The rest of the campus will see a consolidated front entrance, new paint and a new look from the highway. Inside, new directional signage will have the theme “Things That Fly,” paying homage to Dayton’s aviation heritage. The cost of the improvements is being paid for with existing hospital funds, bank financing and the philanthropy of private and business donors.

Dayton Children’s Hospital supports 20 counties in the region. The goals are to improve access to services, offer greater convenience, and provide a positive patient experience through improved customer service. The facility supports 40,000 patient visits annually, 10,000 of which are from youth who live in the city of Troy. The hospital hosts 47 specialties, including eight super specialties where the staff believe they have a core competency. To learn more, please visit their Web site: www.childrensdayton.org.

Troy Rotarians, and the Troy Rotary Foundation, support several community projects annually. In 2014-15, more than $16,000 in scholarships and community aid was distributed from the fund, including the annual Shoe Project, Troy After Prom and support for summer camps at Brukner Nature Center and Waco Air Museum. Club members are always looking for new topics to share at weekly meetings. If you are interested in presenting your business or organization, please visit the Troy Rotary Web site at www.troyohiorotary.org and submit your information in the “Contact Us” section. Troy Rotary is a member-involved, goal-oriented service club focused on socio/economic issues that have an impact both locally and internationally. You can follow their activities on Facebook at Troy Rotary Club.