Valley View Nurses to Benefit in Perpetuity from Endowment Gift from Pete Welles
January 28, 2022 ― GLENWOOD SPRINGS, COLO. ― Local philanthropist Pete Welles, a Roaring Fork Valley resident, made a gift of $1.5 million to Valley View Foundation to benefit Valley View’s Nursing Excellence Program. The gift will be placed in a permanent endowment so Valley View nurses can benefit from funds in perpetuity.
Mr. Welles said “Valley View’s nurses are unsung heroes at the hospital, especially today with the COVID-19 pandemic.” Current plans for endowment earnings are to provide expanded educational opportunities to nurses at Valley View. From four-year Bachelor of Science in Nursing degrees to certifications and continuing education, this new endowment supports nurses with their individual advancement and, in turn, the care they provide patients at Valley View.
“We are so grateful to Pete for his remarkable generosity. Our people are our most important asset; it is central to our culture,” said Brian Murphy, MD, CEO of Valley View.
In 2017, Welles and his late wife Sondra provided Valley View a generous donation to launch the “Sondra and Peter Welles Nursing Excellence Program” at Valley View. This initial gift was designated to provide scholarships for nurses as a result of the wonderful patient care Pete and Sondra received from the clinical and support staff at Valley View.
“Four years ago, Sondra and Pete saw the value of investing in nurses, and since then over 40 nurses at Valley View have received scholarships provided by the Welles’. We are thrilled to receive this new gift,” said Dawn Sculco, RN, MS, CNS, Chief Nursing Officer of Valley View.
“This is a great program for nurse advancement, and will provide a higher quality of healthcare in Valley View and our community,” said Welles. “This can make Valley View the premier hospital for nurses on the Western Slope.”
For more information about Valley View, visit www.vvh.org or call (970) 384-6623.
# # #
About Valley View
Valley View is an independent, not-for-profit health system based in Glenwood Springs, Colorado. Founded in 1955 with funds raised by the community, Valley View Hospital has evolved to serve the healthcare needs of the region. In addition to its 78-bed hospital in Glenwood Springs, Valley View now includes an integrated system of specialty centers and physicians practices providing care in multiple locations across Garfield, Pitkin, Eagle and Mesa counties. Cardiovascular care, including open heart surgery, comprehensive cancer care, neurosurgical and orthopedic care, provide a level of specialty care that enable patients to stay close to home for key healthcare needs. A network of primary care practices support optimal health and the management of patients’ total health. As part of Valley View’s commitment to the community, it hosts health fairs, blood drives, a Kids & Teen Safety Fair and physician-led education series. Valley View has been recognized for performance excellence from Healthgrades, J.D. Power & Associates, Truven Health “Top 100 Hospitals”, Planetree, Survey Vitals and Consumer Reports. PeopleCare. That’s Valley View. www.vvh.org.