Ambulance Drive Reaches Goal
Posted on 03/22/2011

By ANDREW POTTER, TIMES-REPUBLICAN

Ambulances in Marshalltown log thousands of miles a year in service to the community to assist in emergencies. A successful drive to keep them driving was celebrated Friday night at Iowa Valley Community College.

Allied Insurance made a donation of $35,000 to the Marshalltown Medical & Surgical Center Foundation appeal for a new ambulance for Marshalltown Area Paramedic Services. The donation pushed the effort way past the goal to buy a new ambulance of $150,000 to $172,957.

"It's huge," said Val Ruff, MMSC Foundation director. "We've been in need of a new ambulance and this pushes us past our goal and we can buy additional lifesaving equipment."

More than 480 donors helped the foundation reach its goal.

"Physicians, board members, hospital staff, businesses and community members all helped us achieve this wonderful goal," Ruff said.

One new ambulance will now be added to the fleet of four local vehicles and one will be taken out of use.

The announcement was made during the first-ever MMSC Foundation trivia night, which also raised money for the ambulance drive.

More than 20 teams and 200 people took part in the trivia event at Dejardin Hall at Iowa Valley.

Proceeds of the night have yet to be tabulated but Ruff believes the night will easily surpass the goal of raising $5,000.

"I'm so excited about this," Ruff said. "I can't remember when we had such a big audience together."

Winning the trivia night and a $250 cash prize was a team of MMSC's operating room and surgical center staff. Taking second place was a team of Times-Republican staff members, which won $150.

The success of the trivia night will result in making it an annual event, Ruff said.