New Gary mayor to address chamber luncheon

Karen Freeman-Wilson, new mayor of the City of Gary, will be the featured speaker when the Gary Chamber of Commerce holds its first monthly general membership luncheon of the new year at noon Jan. 9 at the Steel City Buffet & Grill, 411 E. Fifth Ave., Gary.

Freeman-Wilson will share her vision for 2012 and give an overview on issues that will affect Gary, Northwest Indiana and the local business community.

The meeting/luncheon is open to all interested parties. A limited number of seats are still available. Call the chamber office at (219) 885-7407, email jbowden@garychamber.com or chughes@garychamber.com to reserve a seat. The cost is $17 with reservations, $20 at the door.

WorkingWell makes a move

WorkingWell, the occupational health program of Franciscan Alliance's Northwest Indiana hospitals, is moving from its Physicians Hospital location to the Franciscan Hammond Clinic Specialty Center, 7905 Calumet Ave., Munster.

The Franciscan Physicians Hospital location will close at 1 p.m. today. The Hammond Clinic Specialty Center will open at 8 a.m. Jan. 3.

The move was sparked by efforts to combine the forces of Franciscan Hammond Clinic's occupational medicine department with the WorkingWell entity.

WorkingWell, a freestanding occupational health provider, is the only program of its kind to receive the designation of ISO 9001:2008 certification. This certification ensures the effectiveness of all documented processes, and the commitment to their use for every patient.

This move and merger allows growth opportunity for the program, along with having a board-certified occupational health provider on board for Munster and the surrounding communities.

WorkingWell hours at Franciscan Hammond Clinic will be 8 a.m. to 6 p.m. Monday through Friday.

Needy families adopted

Nearly 60 needy families of the Calumet area had a merrier Christmas this year thanks to an Adopt-A-Family program supported by the employees, volunteers, medical staff, executives and vendors of Franciscan St. Margaret Health. Employees worked with provided wish lists after the hospitals' Mission Integration Committee identified needy families with the assistance of several area service organizations.

Employees bearing wrapped gifts, boxes of food and other donations congregated in the Dyer Campus auditorium and the Hammond Campus cafeteria for a prayer service and blessing of the gifts, then delivered them to their adopted families.

New year wishes

Crossroads Regional Chamber of Commerce wishes you a Happy, Healthy and Prosperous New Year.

Sue Reed is executive director of Crossroads Regional Chamber of Commerce. Reach her at (219) 769-8180 or geninq@crossroadschamber.org. Opinions expressed are solely those of the writer.