The Foundation is a charitable organization that supports medical and medically related projects for Salem Hospital. Its volunteer directors help raise, manage and distribute Foundation funds according to donor wishes.

Wade is a shareholder in the Salem law firm of Garrett Hemann Robertson PC. Her practice emphasizes estate planning and administration and elder law. Ms. Wade is a fourth-generation Salem-ite whose great-grandparents arrived in the Salem area by wagon train.

Officers are: Chair Robert Ponec, M.D., Vice Chair Larry Goodreau, and Secretary/Treasurer Kathy Gordon. Other board members are Mari Bailey, Garth Brandaw,

Alex Casebeer, Mike Delk, Eric Fiskum, Barbara Furer, Jim Griggs, Barbara Halsey, Raghu Kamineni, M.D., Bud Pierce, M.D., and Carl Visintainer.

This year the Foundation granted $1.3 million dollars for various projects including scholarships for students pursuing careers in the medical field, patient assistance and hospital equipment.