Elkin—In a ceremony held at Hugh Chatham Memorial Hospital on Tuesday, the final steel beam was placed in the organization’s $48 million project to add a new Emergency Room, Intensive Care Unit, and Patient Tower. Medical staff, employees, board members, and construction crew signed the 300 lb. beam, then gathered on the site to watch as it was hoisted into place by crane. As the pinnacle of the event, Chief of Staff Dr. Skip Whitman and Chairman of the Board Mike Stanley, were harnessed and raised to the beam to tie on the Hugh Chatham flag. More than 100 onlookers applauded the ceremonial “topping out”. Many of these had attended the project’s groundbreaking ceremony on June 26th.

In building construction, “topping out” is a ceremony held when the last beam is placed at the top of a building. Often, flags or streamers are tied atop the beam. Longtime a common practice in Europe, topping out gained popularity in the United States in the 19th century, and remains as a milestone practice today.

Those present commented about feeling part of the project as their signatures will be forever etched into the construction of the Hospital. Chairman of the Board Mike Stanley said, “This is history making-- all of us take great pride in our Hospital and we were honored to celebrate our progress in a very momentous occasion.”

Construction on the new ER, ICU, and Patient Tower is scheduled for completion in December of 2009. A ribbon cutting ceremony will be held at a date to be announced. The public will be invited to this event. Please watch for details about the event in local media, The Communique’ news magazine, and on the Hospital’s website www.hughchatham.org.