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Those driving down Shotwell Street this week may have noticed a new sight: a digital sign in front of Memorial Hospital and Manor, displaying news and updates about hospital operations. Getting the sign installed was a three-way effort between Memorial Hospital, the City of Bainbridge, and the Bainbridge-Decatur County Recreation Authority, all of which took two years.

According to Glennie Bench, Chairwoman of the Hospital Authority and CFO of Southwest Georgia Oil Company, setting the sign up was her idea.

“Being in the convenience store business, we like to put signage on everything,” she said, “I saw where our industry was transforming from having old-fashioned reader boards to digital signage. I just thought it would be a great way for the hospital to let the community know what they’re doing, services we offer, a way of recognizing some of the staff, and just kind of connect with the community.”

The decision to make the sign a three-way project with the city and the recreation authority came as a result of trying to make it affordable.

“That evolved as my idea of trying to make it affordable for more than one entity to do, because the sign is very expensive,” she said. “So, I thought, well we really need an opportunity, a place for the City of Bainbridge and the Recreation Authority to promote events and activities that they’re having.” Both City Manager Chris Hobby and then-Director of the Recreation Authority Al Kelley both agreed to the project, with Hobby proposing they apply for a grant from the Fogg Foundation.

“Certainly, I would want to extend our gratitude to the Fogg Foundation for investing in our community again,” Bench said. “They have been very generous with our community, and I’m eager to connect with people who ride up and down Shotwell Street, day in and day out, and let them know what our community and our hospital have to offer.”