Building Traditions Society raises money for a variety of AAMC services

While some may have historically perceived Anne Arundel Medical Center as focused on serving Anne Arundel County, the reality is AAMC is a regional health system that serves a larger community.

In 2008, the hospital opened the AAMC Pavilion on Kent Island to provide easier access for its large patient population on the Eastern Shore. More than 10,600 AAMC patients live on the Eastern Shore, including Queen Anne’s, Kent and Talbot counties.

Kent Island residents Sara and Tim Adelman volunteer on AAMC Foundation’s Building Traditions Society (BTS) Board, and have always viewed AAMC as their community hospital.

Sara and Tim joined the Building Traditions Society at its inception in 2011 because they understood the importance of supporting AAMC and the wide variety of care services provided to our community. In 2016, the Building Traditions Society provided critically needed funding in support of a bilingual therapist for AAMC’s Community Health Clinic on Forest Drive. The Building Traditions Society also provided funding for a licensed clinical social worker who is devoted to providing pediatric emergency mental health evaluations within AAMC’s Pediatric Emergency Department.

The Adelmans know the value of having access to the highest quality healthcare in your backyard.

“I come from a family of healthcare people. You’re either a healthcare lawyer or a healthcare provider – doctors, nurses, nurse practitioners, we have them all. While our professions are healthcare oriented, our philanthropic efforts are as well,” says Tim. “I grew up watching my parents give back to their community, including the hospital. My mother, Cathy Adelman, has been extremely active with AAMC’s Foundation for many years and is the incoming Foundation board chair. It was a natural fit for me to get involved with AAMC’s Building Traditions Society.”

Sara, a nurse practitioner at Annapolis Internal Medicine, feels strongly that mental health services are a critical need in our community.

“The demand is much higher than the community’s current capacity, and there are many patients that will benefit from expanded services,” she says. “We have been very successful in raising money for Pediatrics, which is near and dear to most BTS families. Now we are excited to put our efforts into this much needed Mental Health initiative.”

BTS has raised more than $410,000 to support pediatric and NICU services, community clinic services, and behavioral health services. BTS helps engage the younger generation in a meaningful manner.

“While raising funds to support AAMC is at the core of BTS, we do it in a fun way. BTS brings together families from across the region in a social manner that supports a good cause. We have met so many great friends through BTS and look forward to another exciting year of events, including events on the Eastern Shore,” says Tim.

“AAMC provides an array of medical services on the Shore, and our goal is to get more Eastern Shore families and local businesses involved in supporting their hospital,” says Tim.