March 9, 2026
The St. Peter’s Health Foundation annual fundraising Gala achieved a historic fundraising milestone, raising more than $500,000 for St. Peter’s Health Ambulance and Emergency Department teams.
“With almost 600 attendees and $578,600 raised, the Gala reflects the remarkable support of the Helena community,” said St. Peter’s Health Foundation Executive Vice President Stephen Mason. “Our dedicated emergency department and ambulance teams, along with the patients they serve, deserve the best tools and training available. The ongoing commitment of our sponsors, donors, community partners, employees and volunteers help us reach new heights year after year.”
In 2025, St. Peter’s Emergency Department cared for 26,000 patients ranging in ages from three days to 102 years. Of those patients, 2,600 were children. “As our community continues to grow, so does the demand for emergency services,” said Director of Critical Care Anne McCoy. “The five-county region we serve is larger than eight U.S. States, the funds from this year’s Gala will help ensure we have the equipment we need to continue caring for our community.”
St. Peter’s 10 ambulances drove more than 1.3 million miles in 2025 for patient care. Proceeds will be used to fund a new ambulance and equipment for St. Peter’s emergency teams. “Nobody plans on having an emergency, but you want to have good reliable services when every minute counts,” said St. Peter’s Emergency Services Manager Chris Mulberry.
This year’s Gala, hosted on January 16, also honored Brett and Heather Wiensch of 1889 Coffee House for sharing their story and ongoing support of health care workers, veterans, and the broader Helena community. The Wiensch family shared their St. Peter’s experience through a video that was shown at this year’s Gala.
Another video debuted at the Gala gave attendees a behind-the-scenes look at emergency medicine, and the impact critical situations have on patients and staff alike.
St. Peter’s Health Foundation Gala sponsors and donors included: Jim and Suzi Stanger, St. Peter’s Hospital Association Endowment for St. Peter’s Health, Dick Anderson Construction, Allegiance, Anderson Hedge Wagner Kienitz Zwemke & Associates at Merrill Lynch, Blue Cross & Blue Shield of Montana, First Interstate Bank, Dr. Russ and Sharon Bell, St. Peter’s Health, A&E + SMA Design, Eaton Turner Jewelry, Helena OB/GYN Associates, Intrepid Credit Union, Jeannie Etchart, Lorna and Stephen Mason, McCutcheon Family, Montana Radio Company (GIK/trade), Northwestern Energy, Opportunity Bank, Physician Partners of St. Peter’s Health Foundation, Ross and Joe Duncan, Staples/360 Business Solutions, Stockman Bank, Slate Architecture, and Valley Bank.
For more information about how you can support St. Peter’s Health Foundation Efforts, please visit https://foundation.sphealth.org.