The power of giving in our community is tangible. In these stories, our donors demonstrate not only their heartfelt generosity, but their profound connection and commitment to Doylestown Health. We are deeply grateful for their partnership and continued support.
The Road to Healthy Living
A personal commitment to health and wellness unites Fred Beans’ philosophies on business and philanthropy. With a generous leadership gift to the One Vision campaign, his dedication to improving the well-being of others will resonate for years to come.
By his own admission, Fred Beans is a “driven type of guy.” A resident of Doylestown for more than forty years, he is well known as the founder and president of the Fred Beans Family of Dealerships. Nationally recognized year after year for its commitment to quality, excellence in customer service, and charitable giving, the company employs nearly 1,700 people in southeastern Pennsylvania.
Fred’s dedication to health and wellness also influences his business strategy: he offers a wide range of wellness benefits to all employees designed to keep them healthier and happier. The Healthy Living program features nutrition coaching, healthy lunch-and-learn gatherings, fitness challenges, and access to the company’s wellness coordinator. “Being in business is a tremendous responsibility; and being a good role model is important,” says Fred. A recent profile in The Wall Street Journal detailed Fred’s own personal fitness training regimen and highlighted the now legendary push-up challenge that Fred undertakes to celebrate his birthday, raising the number of push-ups he does to correspond to his age.
Now at 80 years of age, “Every year is a bigger challenge,” says Fred. Encouraging healthy living and providing quality healthcare through programs such as Doylestown Health’s Workplace Wellness Solutions “brings stability to our workforce,” notes Fred. “We want to support our people. We are blessed that we live in Doylestown and that we have the resources that we do. Doylestown Health is a vital part of the community,” he continued.
For Jim Brexler, President and CEO of Doylestown Health, “the Beans family is iconic in this community. Fred and his family run a great company and they make their employees’ healthcare needs a top priority. They are truly invested in making this community a healthier place, and they are constantly looking for ways to support organizations that make a difference in the health and wellness of the community.”
Over the years, the Fred Beans Family of Dealerships and Doylestown Health have partnered on a number of initiatives. “We are grateful for Fred’s trust in us when he refers employees here for their healthcare needs,” adds Brexler, “and we’re proud to partner with an organization that sets such a great example of leadership in business and occupational health. Our community wouldn’t be what it is without Fred.”
According to Fred, “Anything you do with the right spirit will be successful,” and that includes supporting the future of Doylestown Health with a generous leadership gift to the One Vision campaign. “Doylestown Health has always had a great reputation and the hospital has always been top-notch,” says Fred.
“The Fred Beans Family of Dealerships is a stellar example of corporate citizenship,” says Laura Wortman, Vice President and Chief Development Officer for Doylestown Health, “and we are very fortunate to benefit from their generosity—from charity driving events to donations of blankets, cards, and craft kits for cancer patients.” Named in honor of Fred’s most recent gift, the Fred Beans Family Waiting Area in the Cardiovascular and Critical Care Pavilion will enhance the patient and visitor experience with a more comfortable and welcoming environment. “Now,” she continues, “with Fred’s leadership gift to the One Vision campaign, he’s making an even bigger impact by strengthening the future of healthcare in our community.”
Reflecting on his support of Doylestown Health and the community, Fred gets a special sense of satisfaction. “I work hard and I’m able to give back and I’m lucky I can do it,” he says. “I just don’t think I’d feel the same way about buying a boat as giving back to a worthy cause like this.”
Giving for All Seasons
For Joyce and Bob Byers, Sr., the joy of giving launched successful careers and a thriving family business that allows them to make a difference year-round.
Every season is Christmas at the Byers’ Choice, Ltd., headquarters in Chalfont, Pennsylvania. Just one step across the Christmas Museum threshold, and visitors of all ages are transported into a whimsical world featuring the signature “Carolers” figurines, beloved by collectors worldwide for their timelessness and charming handcrafted details.
The Carolers were originally imagined, designed, and created by Joyce Byers, who sculpted the first models at her family’s kitchen table in the 1960s. “Joyce couldn’t find decorations that we could afford and that truly represented the warmth and joy of the season,” Bob recalls. Initially the Carolers were gifts for family and friends, but demand for the figurines grew quickly as more and more people admired their delightful qualities.
Soon the entire Byers family was involved in production, and Bob was selling door to door. “I was in the construction business at the time,” he says, “and we were struggling to make ends meet. Once we finally got accepted to the New York gift show, I could stop banging on doors! My advice is that if your spouse has a hobby, you should encourage it because you never know where it might lead,” he said with a smile.
Over the last forty years, the success of the Carolers has allowed Bob and Joyce to expand on another passion—giving back. A substantial portion of the Byers’ Choice yearly profits directly supports local, national, and international charities. The Byers Foundation was formed in 1982, and since then Bob’s dedication to philanthropy has been recognized with prestigious honors, including the National Caring Award, given to only five Americans each year. “We are regular people that God has blessed,” Bob says, “and we have a responsibility to help others, especially in our community.”
Doylestown Health is one of the many organizations that benefit from the Byers’ longtime involvement and generosity, as Bob has a special appreciation for the importance of good health. “I have four stents and I wouldn’t be here without the capable doctors at the Reif Heart Institute,” he acknowledges.
Bob calls Dr. Auteri and Dr. Guidera his godsends. “They’re first-rate doctors. I’m proud to support Doylestown Hospital because one of the best ways you can give back is to make sure people are healthy,” he continues. “Doylestown Hospital is a community treasure and I want to make sure it’s here for families in our community, including the wonderful people that work with us at Byers’ Choice.”
According to Jim Brexler, President and CEO of Doylestown Health, “Bob and Joyce are incredibly civic- and community-minded people. Their early gifts to the hospital allowed us to expand and innovate, and serve more patients. Because of their most recent gift to the Second Century Fund, we can continue to grow and meet the needs of the community.”
“Transformational gifts from community leaders like Bob and Joyce demonstrate a vote of confidence in Doylestown Health and our future plans,” says Laura Wortman, Vice President and Chief Development Officer. “To have their support means a great deal. We are truly grateful for all they do to make us and our community stronger.”
Along with their leadership gift, Bob and Joyce chose a signature piece of artwork from their private collection to grace the reflection garden in front of the new Cardiovascular and Critical Care Pavilion. Titled The Dance of the Cranes, the sculpture holds deep meaning for Bob. “To me it’s a symbol of rebirth, similar to what happens after you enter the hospital and are transformed by the life-restoring experience of being healed. The crane represents good fortune and longevity, and I came out of Doylestown Hospital with a whole new life,” he shares.
For Bob, the crane is as much a symbol of his journey as a beacon for others. “I thought it would be wise to do more good while I can still see the benefit it will have. I hope that I can encourage others to give back to Doylestown Health, too.”
Cultivating a Better Tomorrow
For Barb and Tom Hebel, the roots of their community involvement run deep across Bucks County—with Doylestown Health as a centerpiece of their generosity.
The late actress Audrey Hepburn once said, “To plant a garden is to believe in tomorrow.” By all measures Barb and Tom Hebel are true believers, having dedicated their professional and personal lives to improving the health and beauty of the Doylestown community. In their respective roles as Vice President for Human Resources at Doylestown Health and President of Bucks Country Gardens, Barb and Tom share a remarkable commitment to the people and community around them.
“From a young age,” shared Barb, “we were brought up to give back. Our parents were tremendous examples for us. My father and mother worked incredibly hard and were generous in giving to others, even when they struggled to make ends meet.” Tom says one of the most valuable lessons he learned from his father, a pastor, was “just how important it is to support and be involved in your community. It’s my pleasure and privilege to connect with people through volunteering for Bucks Beautiful, the Chamber of Commerce, and at our church.”
It is a shared passion for business, gardening, and people that Tom says creates “opportunities to connect with so many folks in our community—our customers at Bucks Country Gardens, landscape design clients, and organizations that make a difference, like Doylestown Health.”
Of the Hebel family’s many connections to Doylestown Health, Tom recalls that one of the earliest partnerships was with Bucks Country Gardens as a sponsor and landscape designer of the Bucks County Designer House and Gardens. Held each year by the Village Improvement Association of Doylestown (VIA), proceeds benefit Doylestown Hospital and the VIA’s other community initiatives.
Barb joined the staff of Doylestown Health in 2000 as a recruiter in Human Resources. Now as Vice President, Barb oversees the daily operations of Human Resources, as well as several other departments, including Education, Volunteer Services, and Pastoral Care, to name a few. Barb and Tom “share admiration for the mission of the VIA and what the women of the VIA started,” says Barb.
“The Hebels are part of Doylestown Health’s immediate and extended family,” says Jim Brexler, President and CEO of Doylestown Health. “Barb and Tom are committed to the health of Doylestown, and they help us raise the bar in cultivating a healthy community. There’s not an event here or in the community that they are not involved in through Bucks Country Gardens or through the gifts of their time and leadership.”
As part of their commitment to the future of Doylestown Health, Barb and Tom continue to build on their philanthropic support. “They go above and beyond to support us,” says Laura Wortman, Vice President and Chief Development Officer. “Over the years, Barb and Tom have witnessed the tremendous progress we’ve made. Now they are demonstrating their faith in our future with their recent outright gift and their legacy commitment to support the priorities of ONE VISION: The Campaign for Doylestown Health.”
When the Hebels look to the future, they are even more committed to remaining a part of the Doylestown community. “We want to stay in the place we love,” says Barb. “You don’t have to leave—you can get exceptional healthcare right here. What makes Doylestown Health so unique is that the spirit of the VIA continues to guide us. We are progressive and innovative yet we have the most caring physicians and associates,” she continues. “I encountered that in my own patient experience; my children did as well and so has my mother at Pine Run Retirement Community. We provide a tremendous continuum of care.”
“We have been blessed in our lives,” adds Tom. “Investing in the future of Doylestown Health means that it will be here tomorrow, and even stronger for the next generation of our family and families in our community.”
A Material Difference
Together with his children and grandchildren, Frank Terry, founder of Marvic Supply Company, is a proponent of making a difference in the community.
With over fifty years of experience in the construction and building supply business, it was “only a matter of time before the folks at Pine Run recruited me to sit on the Buildings and Grounds Committee,” says Frank Terry, Board Chairman of Marvic Supply Company. As a resident of Pine Run Retirement Community, Frank had a front row seat to the construction of the new Community Center, affectionately known to residents as the “Hub.”
Building materials run in the Terry family. Frank’s father ran a lumber yard and he and his four brothers worked alongside. In 1967 when the opportunity arose to buy a construction supply store, Frank says, “It was an answer to a prayer.” From its beginnings as a single location in northeast Philadelphia, Marvic Supply now comprises seven locations in five counties and currently employs a staff of nearly 100. Generations of the Terry family work together, just as Frank and his brothers did decades earlier. While Frank entrusts the day-to-day operations of the company to his son-in-law Dave Smith, and sons Rich and Wes, you can still find Frank lending a hand at the Marvic Supply offices.
The Terry family also shares numerous ties to Doylestown Health. Nancy (Terry) Smith currently volunteers in the Doylestown Hospital post-anesthesia care unit (PACU). “I’m amazed at the quality of care and type of procedures available,” she says. “You used to have to go downtown to get the kind of services that they offer now.”
Along with his siblings, Rich notes the quality of care at Pine Run Retirement Community. “When our mom’s health declined, she could be cared for right on Pine Run’s campus at the Health Center in close proximity to my dad,” says Rich. His brother Wes had confidence that she would be in good hands because Pine Run is part of Doylestown Health. “The nurses took really good care of Mom,” says Wes. “They were so friendly and treated everyone—family and spouses—really well. Even though Mom’s gone now, Dad gets hugs from the nurses when he goes to visit friends in the Health Center.”
Ensuring a bright future for Pine Run Retirement Community, as well as for Doylestown Health, is important to Frank and his family. Frank took special interest in the Community Center’s early stages of construction; in fact, Marvic Supply furnished building materials for the exterior of the new Hub. During phase two of the construction of the Community Center, Frank eagerly anticipated its completion along with fellow residents, and made a gift to the One Vision campaign in direct support of the project.
“We are thrilled that our new Community Center has opened,” says Maria Santangelo, Executive Director of Pine Run Retirement Community. “Generous gifts from residents and the community have allowed us to create an exceptionally vibrant living community here at Pine Run. We want to share our gratitude with Frank for his generosity, and we’re delighted that Marvic Supply Company contributed to the project, too,” she continued.
“Pine Run Retirement Community and Doylestown Health are important to our family and our business,” says Dave Smith. “They enhance the quality of life in our community, which has an impact on the value of homes and attractiveness of homebuilding. When we’re successful, we can support even more initiatives,” he continues.
Giving back to Doylestown Health also means that employees of Marvic Supply will have access to the healthcare they need for generations to come. “I have been blessed in my life,” says Frank, “and I am glad that I can continue to make a difference for my family and the community that supports our business.”
About Doylestown Health Foundation
As the philanthropic arm of Doylestown Health, the Doylestown Health Foundation raises funds to safeguard the future of excellence in patient care and improves the quality of life for all members of our Central Bucks County community and beyond.
Join us and make a gift today. For more information about Doylestown Health Foundation and giving opportunities at Doylestown Health, please call 215.345.2009 or email gifts@dh.org. Thank you.
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