Cetronia Ambulance Corps and Lehigh Valley Health Network personnel recently dedicated the new LVHN Founders Way garden in front of the ambulance corps headquarters at 4300 Broadway, South Whitehall.

This special garden area was created by LVHN as a tribute to the founders of Cetronia Ambulance Corps and its rich history.

The landscaped area at the main entrance was named for LVHN in honor of the health network’s donation to the Cetronia Ambulance and Lehigh County Joint Operations Facility’s construction capital campaign.

Cetronia Ambulance Corps Board of Directors Chaiman Keith Weinhold and Chief Executive Officer Larry Wiersch commented on the connection between the ambulance corps and LVHN and the Founders Way garden at the dedication ceremony.

“It gives me great pleasure to have the ability to honor our donors and recognize this lovely walk,” Weinhold said. “This is a great day.

“We have had a good fortune of having numerous donors support this new facility in some form or fashion including LVHN with this wonderful Founders walkway today.”

“From a board perspective what that shows us is the entire community recognizes the life-saving actions of Cetronia Ambulance Corps.

“On behalf of my board colleagues, those who aren’t here today as well as those who are, I want to thank all our donors especially LVHN for their continued support of our life-saving mission.”

Wiersch said words could hardly express how truly appreciative Cetronia is for the partnership they enjoy with LVHN and the gratitude they have for the beautiful display at their front entrance.

“The generous funds provided by LVHN really was significant in helping us achieve this beautiful building, the partnership with Lehigh County and all the community members that help make this facility to become reality,” Wiersch stated.

He said the many years of support combined with trust and their ability to have open communications with LVHN continues to provide the road map for future strategies that continuously drive us in excellence and service.

The relationship they enjoy with LVHN is the key to building a better tomorrow, Wiersch said.

“Today is just the beginning of that tomorrow as we take pause to recognize our founding fathers, one of which we have here with us today,” Weirsch said.

“Mr. Wilmer McNabb, a founder, who together with his colleagues in 1955 had the vision and drive to create Cetronia Ambulance Corps, a vision for tomorrow we enjoy today.

“We are here today largely because of a few entrepreneurs like Wilmer, our founders, we honor these individuals as part of this dedication ceremony today.”

McNabb and Jim Geiger, president of Lehigh Valley Hospital-Muhlenberg also commented on the Founders Way garden dedication and the connection between the ambulance corps and LVHN.

“You can’t imagine what this makes me feel like,” McNabb said.

“Knowing what we did in the beginning in 1955 and seeing what we have here today it makes an old heart like mine really pump.”

Geiger said he knows full well the extraordinary commitment to the community shared with everyone at Cetronia Ambulance Corps.

“That level of commitment is why we are proud to celebrate the dedication of the LVHN Founders Way garden area,” he said.

“Founders Way will serve as a warm welcome to the many community members who participate in education and training here at the Joint Operations Facility,” Geiger said.

“It speaks to our partnership with Cetronia, which focuses on delivering the finest medical emergency services throughout the Lehigh Valley.

“We hope this Founders Way garden will serve to provide a warm welcome to our colleagues at Cetronia and all in the community who enter this magnificent facility.”

After the dedication, guests viewed Cetronia’s newest ambulance, on display in front of the corps headquarters.