OCALA, FL (352today.com) – HCA Florida Ocala Hospital and HCA Florida West Marion Hospital colleagues participated in HCA Florida Healthcare’s annual statewide We Show Up for Our Communities initiative by serving at the Heart of the Park (previously the American Legion building) with Ocala Main Street in Tuscawilla Park.

HCA Healthcare has an enterprise-wide commitment to address needs and to donate time and resources to communities where HCA Healthcare physicians and hospital colleagues live and work.

On June 7 and June 10, 20 colleagues, physicians and volunteers from HCA Florida Ocala Hospital and HCA West Marion Hospital helped staff and volunteers with Ocala Main Street paint, clean and prep the Heart of the Park building to become a new community hub.

“We Show Up days give our colleagues the opportunity to give back to our local neighborhoods,” explained Alan Keesee, chief executive officer of HCA Florida Ocala Hospital. “We know community hubs like the Heart of the Park create a shared space for families to stay active and maintain healthy routines. We are honored to ‘show up’ to help support this important community partner as they invest in the future of Ocala.”

Woman on ladder cleaning wood paneling inside Heart of the Park.
Smiling man on a ladder painting trim at Heart of the Park.
Back of a volunteer’s shirt reading “We show up” during renovation work at Heart of the Park in Ocala.
Two women in “We show up” shirts painting a bench inside a wooden community hall.
Volunteer sweeping the wooden floor inside Heart of the Park in Ocala.
Woman painting a white door frame while standing on a ladder inside Heart of the Park.
Group of HCA Florida Healthcare volunteers posing in front of the Heart of the Park building in Ocala.
Volunteers from HCA Florida Ocala Hospital and HCA Florida West Marion Hospital joined Ocala Main Street to clean, paint, and help revitalize the Heart of the Park building as part of HCA Florida Healthcare’s “We Show Up” community initiative. Courtesy: HCA Florida Healthcare

“The partnership between Ocala Main Street and HCA Florida Healthcare is a powerful testament to what’s possible when a community wraps its arms around a shared vision, “said Jessica Fieldhouse, executive director of Ocala Main Street. “For the second time, their team has truly ‘shown up,’ embodying their mission with unwavering dedication. This past weekend, HCA Florida Healthcare volunteers invested their time and talent, helping us bring the Heart of the Park project to life and saving Ocala Main Street thousands of dollars in professional labor costs. Their incredible contribution is a beacon of inspiration, demonstrating how collective effort can transform our community.”    

“The Heart of the Park is more than just a project; it’s a catalyst for positive change in Tuscawilla,” said Fieldhouse. “By lighting up the park, we’re not only creating a vibrant community hub that everyone can benefit from, but also actively working to reduce crime and vagrancy, making our shared spaces safer and more welcoming. We can’t do this alone; this is a project for the community, by the community. We are still actively fundraising, and we need individuals and businesses to follow HCA Florida Healthcare’s incredible example.”

As Florida’s leading healthcare network, HCA Florida Healthcare is committed to creating healthier tomorrows for communities across the state by volunteering our time, making charitable donations and partnering with other organizations. In 2024, HCA Florida Healthcare colleagues from 650 facilities volunteered more than 38,000 hours and committed nearly $1.2 million to community partner organizations in the Sunshine State.

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