More than 100 community members and their families attended "Family Day" on June 23, sponsored by Verdugo's Anatomy, the hospital's newest community support group made up of young families and professionals, and the Verdugo Hills Hospital Foundation.

Chaired by Aarin Edwards and Courtney Strong Thomas, the purpose of the event was to bring together families so that they could learn more about Verdugo Hills Hospital and its services - and to have some fun.

"The goal of Verdugo's Anatomy is to keep the community and Verdugo Hills Hospital personally and emotionally connected, finding Verdugo to be not just a great medical facility, but a wonderful resource for your family's lifestyle habits and general well-being," said Edwards and Thomas.

The star attraction of "Family Day" was a creative art project for the children decorating pinwheels, which will soon be displayed in the labor and delivery department.

This project will be dedicated to the new babies born at Verdugo Hills Hospital.

"The pinwheel project will celebrate the beginning of that journey into parenthood and will hopefully help new parents in the maternity ward find comfort through the encouraging words of our experiences and our 'been-there, done-that' vote of confidence," said Edwards and Thomas.

Face painting, balloons, snacks, and bubbles rounded out the morning of fun.

For more information about Verdugo's Anatomy, please call the Hospital Foundation at (818) 952-2226 or visit
http://www.vhhospital.org/foundation_how_annualfund.asp.

Established in 1974, the Verdugo Hills Hospital Foundation's mission is to raise and manage funds for the benefit of Verdugo Hills Hospital, enabling it to meet the healthcare needs of the Foothill communities.

The foundation's goal is to raise $1.4 million this year toward the purchase of digital mammography equipment, nursing education and state-of-the-art surgical services.

Verdugo Hills Hospital is a 158-bed nonprofit primary care facility nestled in the foothills between Glendale and La Cañada Flintridge.

The hospital features all private rooms, 24-hour emergency services, comprehensive inpatient and outpatient diagnostic and treatment facilities, and a family birthing center.

It is the only independent, free-standing hospital in the greater Foothills community and was voted "Foothill's Best Hospital" for 2007 by readers of the Glendale News-Press .

Several physicians on staff also received recognition as the best in the community, including: Dr. Scott W. Beeve, Foothills Best Opthalmologist; Dr. Allan W. Perry, Jr., Foothills Best Plastic Surgeon; Dr. Richard L. Rupp, Foothills Best Podiatrist; Dr. William F. Schubert, Foothills Best Family Physician; Dr. Jane S. Wada, Foothills Best Dermatologist; and Dr. Ronald D. Woodard, Foothills Best Obstetrician/Gynecologist.

For more information, please visit www.vhhospital.org.