PRESQUE ISLE, Maine — Northern Light AR Gould Hospital recently received a $10,000 donation in memory of Alex Silver from his daughter Beverly Silver Bachrach.
The gift was directed to the hospital’s campaign to upgrade and expand its cardiac telemonitoring capabilities, as Silver benefitted from cardiac services at AR Gould during his lifetime.
“The hospital saved my dad’s life when he had his first heart attack at a young age,” Bachrach said. “I thought how fitting to remember my father in the town where he was a successful businessman and a place where he was active and enjoyed life.”
Originally from Orono, Silver moved north in 1934 to open a branch of the family’s cattle business in the County. He later went into the car business, opening Silver’s Garage in 1950. He owned this Chrysler, Plymouth, Dodge and Jeep dealership on the Houlton Road, now Percy’s Auto Sales, until his retirement in 1986.
Silver and his wife, Edith, lived in Presque Isle for 45 years, raising their children and becoming very involved in the community. Silver was a member of the Rotary Club, Elks Club and the Presque Isle Chamber of Commerce, even donating part of the land the Chamber building sits on. He also helped build the Aroostook Hebrew Community Center for The County’s Jewish community.
He was a very active member of AR Gould Hospital’s board of directors because he felt the hospital was so important to the County.
“My father worked diligently to make the hospital one of the best in the state,” Bachrach said. “He felt everyone deserved the best healthcare possible.”
His wife, Edith, felt the same and volunteered at the hospital as part of her many community service roles.
In retirement, the Silvers moved to South Florida to enjoy their golden years. Silver passed away in 1993, and Edith, in 2001. The Silver’s children have all left the County as well, but Bachrach, who now lives in Florida, has a special place in her heart for the area.
“This is where I was born and raised, where I was educated and formed friendships that continue to this day,” Bachrach said. “Presque Isle and small-town living formed my values.”
Bachrach’s gift is the first major contribution to the cardiac telemonitoring campaign, which aims to raise $240,000.
The monitoring system saves lives and helps hospital staff provide better patient care.
“The system warns me that something is wrong before the patient even knows there is a problem,” said Linsley E. Hews, RN. “Cardiac telemonitoring is one of the first lines of defense in providing the best care for our patients.”
For more information on the cardiac telemonitoring campaign, please visit https://northernlighthealth.org/cardiacmonitoring.
