News Release #13-013 July 12, 2013

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE Contact: Krista A. Kittle (315) 785-4504

SMC APPOINTS NEW CHILDRENS MIRACLE NETWORK MANAGER

Watertown, New York Samaritan Medical Center and the SMC Foundation of Northern New York announce the appointment of Morgan OBrien Bocciolatt as the new Childrens Miracle Network (CMN) Hospitals Development Manager. As the CMN Development Manager, Miss Bocciolatt will be responsible for fundraising, sponsor/donor relations and overall awareness of CMNs mission of helping North Country children. She will be responsible for planning and implementing all CMN events, fostering relationships with CMN national and local sponsors, building a core group of CMN volunteers and assisting families of children facing a medical crisis. We are very pleased to have Morgan join our team, explains Beth Fipps, Vice President, Samaritan Foundation and Community Services. The search for the new CMN Development Manager was very inclusive. Members of the Foundation Board, CMN Allocations Committee, department managers and staff participated in the interviews and ultimate selection of the candidate. Morgans background, knowledge of the CMN organization and enthusiasm make her an excellent choice for this important position. We are excited to grow CMN throughout the tri-county region, as well as maximize awareness and significance for North Country children. Prior to her appointment as CMN Development Director, Miss Bocciolatt was Director of Sales and Events at Savory Downtown. She is a North Country native growing up in Chaumont, New York where she remains active in the Lyme Community Foundation as a volunteer and spokesperson and the Lyme Community Theatre as producer and volunteer. Miss Bocciolatt holds a Bachelors Degree in Communication Management and Design from Ithaca Colleges Roy H. Park School of Communication, and was crowned Miss Thousand Islands in 2011. My involvement in the Miss Thousand Islands Scholarship Pageant was my first introduction to the CMN organization, states Miss Bocciolatt. To now be managing such a valuable community organization brings full circle my passion for CMN and for the health and well-being of children in our community. I am looking forward to meeting the many sponsors, supporters and families who help to make CMN what it is today. Miss Bocciolatt will begin her new role on Wednesday, July 24. Her office will be located in the Foundation office at SMC, and she can be reached at 315-785-4053. ### Childrens Miracle Network of Northern New York at Samaritan Medical Center raises funds to support child-centered areas of SMC and other qualified healthcare organizations in Jefferson, Lewis and St. Lawrence counties. 100% of all funds raised through CMN remains locally to benefit children in our area. SMC is one of only five CMN-affiliated hospitals in the nation that provides direct assistance to children and their families in need of assistance as a result of a medical crisis.