WESTFIELD - West-field Memorial Hospital (WMH) recently had a 100-year-old sugar maple tree in front of WMH cut down to comply with village safety requirements. The tree was removed last week courtesy of Great Lakes Tree Service of Westfield.
Great Lakes Tree Service owner David Mathews donated his skilled and valuable services as well as his five-member crew's time and energy needed to get the job done. Members of the crew included Mathews' sons Noah and George, Dave Narraway, Chris Det-weiller and Tim Schoener. Floyd Taylor, owner of Maranatha Tree and Crane Service of Brocton, also was on hand to loan his expertise.
"I love this hospital and the value it brings to our community. All six of our children were born at Westfield Memorial Hospital so it holds a very special place in our hearts," Mathews said.
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Great Lakes Tree Service does “surgery” on the grounds at Westfield Memorial Hospital; pictured from left to right are: Dale, Madison, Noah, George and Dave Mathews of Great Lakes Tree Service.
There are other reasons too. Mathews' wife, Dale, was treated after an automobile accident and their son, Noah suffered a severe fracture in his right arm as a young boy, also prompting the need for Westfield Memorial Hospital. At the WMH Emergency Depart-ment, the young patient was stabilized before being airlifted to Women and Child-ren's Hospital in Buffalo.
"There is no doubt, Westfield Memorial Hospital helped to save his life and we will be forever grateful," Mathews said. "We are so fortunate to have this hospital and its excellent healthcare workers in our back yard and can not imagine what we would have done without them."
As for removing the tree which was 75 percent dead, Mathews arranged to have it come down Friday because he didn't want any branches falling on children who will soon be heading back to school.
"We can not thank Dale and Dave Mathews enough for offering their services once again," Cindy Harper, Patient Data Manager, said. "We are very grateful for their continued support over the years and are lucky to have members of our community who repeatedly show their support on behalf of the hospital. We would also like to thank Floyd Taylor who was very interested in helping with this project as Westfield Memorial was the birthplace of his and wife, Lenore's three children."
"As the fundraising arm of the hospital, the WMH Foundation would also like to express its appreciation to the entire Great Lakes Tree Service Family for its ardent support. People like the Mathews and Taylors remind us each and every day why WMH is so important to our community," Rose Van Volkenburg, WMH Foundation president, said. "Having that support on an ongoing basis is what makes us a real community."
