Sowing Seeds of Generosity

When it comes to philanthropy, Esther Swanker of Schenectady says its important to follow your heart. Esther is a community volunteer who has been active in many local organizations over the years, including the Schenectady County Library, the Girl Scouts, the Dominican Retreat House and the Ellis Hospital Foundation. Her heart has led her, time and again, to donate to Ellis. As a former patient and board member of the Ellis Hospital Foundation, she knows, firsthand, how important charitable giving can be.

Esther is a member of the hospitals 1885 Society, having named Ellis in her will, and she recently made a generous tribute gift in memory of her late husband, Henry. When the Ellis Residential & Rehabilitation Center is relocated to its new home on the McClellan Campus in Spring 2010, the rooftop garden will bear the name Henry M. Swanker Memorial Garden.

Its going to be a beautiful place for families and residents to enjoy and I'm proud it will be named in memory of my husband.