$1M gift to ACH reflects Beeghlys’ devotion to kids

Bruce and Nancy Beeghly are among the nicest people you’ll ever meet, and that makes their philanthropy and generosity all the more meaningful.

Indeed, their $1 million gift to Akron Children’s Hospital Mahoning Valley announced last week is just the latest in the long history of giving by generations of Beeghlys.

It is not by accident, therefore, that the family, whose homestead property in Boardman is the site of the ever- expanding Akron Children’s Beeghly campus, was the first recipient of the Champion for our Valley’s Children Award.

Akron Children’s is a labor of love for Bruce and Nancy Beeghly because it provides health care and other services to all children and their families, regardless of race, color, creed or economic status.

Last year, for instance, ACH recorded 36,000 visits to its emergency room. As a result, plans are on the drawing board to expand the emergency department.

Since it opened nine years ago, Akron Children’s Hospital Mahoning Valley has had $100 million in capital improvements and $378 million in payroll for its 800 or so employees.

FIRST-RATE HEALTH CARE

The hospital has been greeted with open arms by the Valley, and has responded by providing first-rate health care for children from Mahoning, Trumbull and Columbiana counties and elsewhere.

At last week’s ceremony at the Boardman campus to announce the $1 million legacy gift and to light the outdoor Christmas tree, Bruce Beeghly, president of Altronic Inc., had this observation:

“The hospital is going into its 10th year. The progress it has made over the nine years has really been amazing, not only because of the amount of services added, but because of the added facilities.”

Nancy Beeghly, former schoolteacher and Vindicator columnist and a well-respected community volunteer and activist, touched on the legacy of the Beeghly family.

“I know Bruce’s grandparents would be so thrilled that this pediatric hospital for children is here,” she said.

They undoubtedly would, given the family’s century-long dedication to the Valley’s well-being.

Leon and Mabel Snyder Beeghly came to the area from Toledo in 1912 with their children and subsequently established the homestead known as “Sunlawn” on Market Street. It was the family home for several generations until it was donated to the Youngstown Hospital Association in 1965.

Leon Beeghly founded Standard Slag with partners W.E. Bliss and W. H. Kilcawley, two other pillars of the community.

He established the L.A. Beeghly Fund, which provided financial support to numerous educational institutions.

His son, R. Thornton Beeghly, Bruce’s father, became president of Standard Slag in 1967 and retired in 1995. He died in 2008 at age 96 and, like his father, left this region a much better place. The results of his philanthropy can be seen throughout the Valley, including Youngstown State University’s Beeghly Center for physical education and Beeghly Hall, which houses the College of Education.

Westminster College, University of Mount Union, Ohio Wesleyan University and American University in Washington, D.C., also benefited from the Beeghly family generosity.

Religious organizations have also been recipients of fund gifts, including Trinity United Methodist Church, the United Methodist Community Center in Youngstown and the Methodist Theological School in Delaware, Ohio.

A NOBLE FAMILY TRADITION

Such is the pedigree of true community-minded individuals in the Valley who have been generous with their time and their money.

Bruce and Nancy Beeghly are continuing that tradition of giving that has long been the hallmark of one of the most prominent families in the Valley.

Their gift of $1 million to ACH Mahoning Valley and other support over the years reflect their deep-seated belief that we are all our brothers’ keepers and that those who have been blessed have a responsibility to help the less fortunate.

Grace Wakulchik, president of ACH, was on the mark about what the financial commitment from Bruce and Nancy Beeghly represents when she said, “This endowment gift will ensure that generations of children and families from the Mahoning Valley will continue to receive the care that they need for years to come.”

Despite the region’s many challenges, hope springs eternal so long as there are caring individuals offering a helping hand to those in need.