40^th Annual Doc Lopez Run for Health to be Virtual Fundraiser

Elizabethtown, NY – The University of Vermont Health Network - Elizabethtown Community Hospital Auxiliary announced today that the Doc Lopez Run for Health, scheduled for Saturday, March 21, will be held as a virtual fundraiser instead of an in-person event. The move to the online format supports social distancing measures encouraged by public health experts to slow the spread of the novel coronavirus, COVID-19.

“There are currently no confirmed COVID-19 cases in our community,” said Laura Sells-Doyle, president of the hospital auxiliary, “so this decision was made of out an abundance of caution. We want to do everything we can to limit the spread of this disease.”

All registered runners and walkers have been switched to virtual participants and may complete the race distance on the route, day, and time of their choosing. Check-ins, stories, and photographs may be shared via Facebook by tagging @ElizabethtownCommunityHospital and using the hashtag #DocLopezRunForHealth.

“The things people love about participating in a race like this -- the t-shirt, the medal, the bragging rights -- are still a part of the virtual event,” said Ms. Sells-Doyle. “This format allows people to go out and run for a good cause in a safe manner.” Proceeds from the virtual fundraiser will benefit the hospital auxiliary, a volunteer organization that has raised over $100,000 in recent years to enhance the patient experience at Elizabethtown Community Hospital. 

“The health and safety of runners, volunteers, and community members is our highest priority,” said the UVM Health Network - Elizabethtown Community Hospital President John Remillard. “If we make small changes in our individual actions, we can have a big impact on slowing the spread of COVID-19. While running in a large group is not recommended at this time, we can run on our own or in small groups. Exercise is an important part of my life and can help reduce stress. So you can be sure I will be participating in the virtual Doc Lopez Run for Health.”

Many race sponsors backed the decision to modify the annual event. “We support the health of our community and are especially pleased to contribute to the hospital auxiliary at a time like this,” said Jacqueline Hallock, vice president and director of marketing at Champlain National Bank.

Registration, sponsorship, and race information for the 40^th Annual Doc Lopez Run for Health is available at www.DocLopezRun.com.

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About Elizabethtown Community Hospital

The University of Vermont Health Network - Elizabethtown Community Hospital is a designated critical access hospital and the primary health care provider serving the 39,000 people who live, work and vacation in Essex County, NY and the surrounding region.

Elizabethtown Community Hospital is transforming rural health care at its main campus in Elizabethtown, NY, at a new emergency department and outpatient center at the former Moses Ludington Hospital in Ticonderoga, NY, and at six community-based primary health care centers located throughout the region.  The hospital is one of the community’s largest employers with 383 employees.

Across the Elizabethtown and Ticonderoga campuses, the hospital maintains two 24-hour emergency rooms, a 25-bed inpatient unit, physical therapy, laboratory, and digital radiology departments, and a variety of specialty physician clinics on a weekly and monthly basis.  

Elizabethtown Community Hospital is accredited by the Joint Commission and is licensed and certified by the New York State Department of Health and the Center for Medicare and Medicaid Services.

About The University of Vermont Health Network
The University of Vermont Health Network is an academic health system that is comprised of six affiliate hospitals, a multi-specialty medical group, and a home health agency. We serve the residents of Vermont and northern New York with a shared mission: working together, we improve people’s lives.  Our partners include:

• The University of Vermont Medical Center  
• The University of Vermont Health Network Medical Group
• The University of Vermont Health Network – Alice Hyde Medical Center
• The University of Vermont Health Network – Central Vermont Medical Center
• The University of Vermont Health Network – Champlain Valley Physicians Hospital
• The University of Vermont Health Network – Elizabethtown Community Hospital
• The University of Vermont Health Network – Porter Medical Center
• The University of Vermont Health Network – Home Health and Hospice

Our 4,000 health care professionals are driven to provide high quality, cost-efficient care as close to home as possible. Strengthened by our academic connection to the University of Vermont, each of our hospitals remains committed to its local community by providing compassionate, personal care shaped by the latest medical advances and delivered by highly skilled experts.