Heart of the Rockies Regional Medical Center Foundation announced today that Dr. David and Peg Arnett will be formally inducted into the HRRMC Hall of Fame at the Jewel Ball, the Foundation’s annual fundraising gala, on Sept. 30 at the Chaffee County Fairgrounds.
The hospital established its Hall of Fame in 2012 to honor individuals who have made an enduring commitment to quality health care in the Upper Arkansas Valley, with an emphasis on individuals who have contributed to the success of HRRMC.
Peg Arnett, R.N., B.S.N., has worked in health care for 45 years and been employed by the Salida hospital for the past 34 years. She created the hospital’s Education Department and currently serves as education director. From 2001-2009, she directed the student nursing program at HRRMC, which awarded associate degrees in nursing through Trinidad State Junior College and Colorado Mountain College. She was also instrumental in starting home health services in 1985 and hospice in 1988.
Peg Arnett was commended for serving as interim vice president of patient services on four different occasions, successfully leading the nursing team with a positive attitude and commitment to the highest level of patient care. She was named hospital TRAC STAR of the quarter in 2012, a recognition given by fellow staff members. Beyond the Salida Hospital District, Peg has traveled on 17 mission trips to deliver health care to underprivileged communities worldwide.
David Arnett, M.D., has practiced family medicine in Salida since 1979, when he founded Salida Family Medicine. He went on to open community clinics in Saguache and Coaldale in the 1980s. Dr. Arnett believes in providing outreach to rural communities and the need to deliver quality health care to underserved Coloradans.
A member of the HRRMC medical staff since 1979, he also serves as a preceptor to University of Colorado School of Medicine medical students. Dr. Arnett served as chief of staff at HRRMC from 2009-2011, and was awarded the Colorado Rural Health Center’s “Rural Health Excellence Award” in 2011 for his “extraordinary contribution to providing healthcare in rural Colorado.”
“We are honored to recognize such an outstanding couple and welcome all to attend our thirteenth annual Jewel Ball on Sept. 30,” said HRRMC Foundation Director Kimla Robinson. Sponsorship opportunities are available by calling 530-2218. Tickets will be available for sale on Aug. 1.
The HRRMC Foundation provides the hospital with financial support to facilitate innovative programs and provide state-of-the-art health care services to the Salida Hospital District.
