“The CMH Foundation exists to do things that benefit VCU Health Community Memorial Hospital and the community,” Bill Solari, the new chair of the Foundation, explained. “While we have a staggeringly amazing breadth of health specialties, which is remarkable for a small community like South Hill, we want to change people’s mindsets going forward. If we can keep people healthy through better education and outreach, we will improve the health of the community, and those specialists will still be there for them if they need them.”

The Community Memorial Hospital (CMH) Foundation is a nonprofit 501 (c) 3 organization that was formed to build continuing support for VCU Health CMH through philanthropy, stewardship, and community education. Its volunteer board of directors and staff oversee the fundraising efforts of the hospital to ensure that its important mission is fulfilled. One-hundred percent of all donations go to the Foundation and stay in VCU Health CMH’s service area.

The board meets quarterly and in August the new chair will take the helm. Names that are not new to anyone in the community are Sylvia and Bill Solari, who give their time and talents to the hospital through financial gifts and volunteer time. So much so, that the hospital named the Emergency Department and Radiation Therapy buildings after them.

“He’s a natural fit with his philanthropic, financial and marketing backgrounds, and he is so passionate about improving the health of the community and making the CMH Foundation even more impactful,” Ken Kurz, Director of Marketing and Development at VCU Health CMH, said.

Bill most recently served two years as the Vice Chair of the CMH Foundation board, where he worked closely with the former chair, Sheri Sparkman, and knows what to expect. Prior to that, he served as the treasurer, during which time he helped direct smarter ways of investing the Foundation portfolio. He is a firm believer in endowment funds and would like to see the Foundation grow its endowment fund where the hospital doesn’t touch the principal but spends the earnings to better the health of those in the communities VCU Health CMH serves. Programs that fall outside the budget could use the endowment earnings to provide new needed services and initiatives in our area.

Bill is a native of Richmond and began his career working for General Electric. A graduate of the University of Richmond, he started out in finance and later switched to marketing. After six years, he went back to his financial roots and became an investment advisor, managing $225 million in accounts by the end of his career. In 2008 he retired to Warren County, North Carolina. Sylvia and Bill have two children and four grandsons, all who live in North Carolina.

One fall day, before CMH was affiliated with VCU Health, Sylvia and Bill Solari introduced themselves to CEO Scott Burnette just before an employee holiday lunch. Having lost parents on both sides to cancer, the Solaris were interested in helping bring radiation services to South Hill. The administrative teams were in talks for Massey Cancer Center to provide the equipment and physicians if CMH would supply the building and staff. Mr. Burnette was late to his staff lunch, but he walked away with a million-dollar donation from the Solaris and a budding new relationship with the award-winning cancer care provided by Massey Cancer Center.

Later, the oncology department needed a $180,000 software solution to reduce the time it took for patients to receive their radiation treatment. The Solaris funded this purchase as well, reducing the 45-minute treatment to about 10 minutes. The Solaris still receive heart-felt thank you notes from members of the community today for having these services available locally.

The Solaris are both active, along with Mr. Burnette, in the Colonial Theater. Past volunteer and board activities for Bill include Touchstone Bank, Lakeland Theater, South Hill Chamber and Lake Gaston Chamber.

Sylvia has volunteered in the Emergency Department 3,657 hours since 2011. She stocks supplies, makes beds, cleans equipment and runs errands, and has even worked some holidays. Because of her passion for this department, they donated $500,000 to the new ED in 2017 as part of the Health Care For Life Capital Campaign. Sylvia has also served on the Auxiliary Board as corresponding secretary.

“VCU Health CMH is a gem, Bill said. “If the CMH Foundation is more proactive in outreach, we can improve the physical and mental health of the community and support the hospital for generations to come.”