On July 30, Petaluma Valley Hospital Foundation announced a $500,000 gift from Ray Pounds, longtime community member and Foundation board member, to support new technology and innovation for the hospital's surgical services, with a special focus on orthopedics.
“Petaluma is my family's hometown,” Ray said. “When we realized we could do something significant to help our community and leave a lasting legacy, the decision to give to Petaluma Valley Hospital was easy. We want to ensure that local families have access to exceptional healthcare close to home for years to come.”
Ray and Denise Pounds were born and raised in Petaluma, meeting as teenagers at Petaluma High School. Their connection to Petaluma Valley Hospital dates back to the 1980s, when Ray's CPA firm contributed to the effort to build the hospital. Decades later, Denise would come to rely on that same hospital for her care, with Ray at her side throughout more than 20 years of treatment before her death in December 2023. Ray previously honored Denise's memory with a gift naming a room in her honor at the hospital she called her "second home."
Ray has served on the Petaluma Valley Hospital Foundation board since 2016. His giving reflects a belief that community hospitals must continue to modernize and innovate in order to attract top physicians and keep advanced care close to home.
"Ray and Denise's story is Petaluma's story," said Rebecca Kendall, chief philanthropy officer for Petaluma Valley Hospital Foundation. "This gift will bring new technology and innovation to our hospital, helping us attract exceptional physicians and offer the kind of advanced care our community deserves. It's a gift that will shape this hospital's future for generations."
The investment in new technology made possible by this gift will help Petaluma Valley Hospital continue to recruit and retain skilled physicians and offer patients access to top-notch surgical services without having to leave their community.
"We are proud to provide exceptional care at Petaluma Valley Hospital, and gifts like Ray’s make it possible for us to enhance that even more," said Scott Ciesielski, chief administrative officer for Providence Sonoma County. “Providence is committed to ensuring that PVH continues to go above and beyond for the community that has gone above and beyond to support it."
Pictured here (left to right): Jeff Pounds, Ray Pounds, Justin Pounds, Marc Pounds.
