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Hospital and Rotary clubs pitch Rotary House expansion to double patient‑family lodging
Summary
San Joaquin General Hospital and local Rotary clubs described a plan to refurbish and expand the on‑campus Rotary House, doubling capacity for families of critical care patients by converting adjoining modular units. Rotarians offered volunteer labor and funding for repairs; the board expressed support and no vote was required.
San Joaquin General Hospital officials and local Rotary clubs asked the Board of Supervisors to support refurbishment and an expansion of the Rotary House, an on‑campus lodging unit for families of critical‑care patients.
Hospital CEO Rick Castro and communications director Jessica Helmick said the two‑bedroom, furnished Rotary House has helped families stay near hospitalized relatives for decades but requires repairs and additional capacity. The hospital proposed using two adjacent modular housing units already on site (installed in 2019 for physician housing) to provide additional, joined accommodations and double capacity from six to 12 people. Rotarians told the board they would provide volunteer labor and initial funding (including earlier volunteer repairs and a past $20,000 donation) and emphasized the project's local charitable benefits.
Speakers from several Stockton Rotary clubs urged the board’s support and described past efforts to maintain the service. Mary Laughlin (Sunrise Rotary) and Albert Holman (assistant area governor) emphasized the structure’s role for families who travel to be with loved ones in the ICU and recalled examples of families who used the house during traumatic hospitalizations.
Board members praised community partnerships and thanked Rotary volunteers and hospital staff for pursuing a low‑cost, on‑campus solution that keeps families near patients.
Next steps: Staff will continue coordinating between the hospital, Rotary clubs and county offices to finalize repairs and occupancy rules; no formal county appropriation or policy change was required at the hearing.
