Laura Bush officially dedicates CHEC at ribbon-cutting ceremony

By Lorraine Cichowski
VCU News Services

Laura Bush praised the VCU Health System for its service to the community today and officially dedicated the health system’s Community Health Education Center.

In an afternoon ceremony in the lobby of the new Gateway Building, Mrs. Bush briefly addressed a crowd of 200 government officials, university executives and faculty and others and then joined VCU President Eugene Trani in a ribbon-cutting ceremony at the door to CHEC.

"Richmond is now home to one of the largest and most-comprehensive, hospital-based health libraries in the country, and I know you are very proud of it," Mrs. Bush said. "This center is the gateway of knowledge, and in knowledge we find strength and reassurance."

CHEC is a 2,225-square-foot multimedia health information center designed to make it easier and quicker for patients, their families and the local community to research health topics and get answers to health questions. Located on the ground floor of the Gateway Building fronting MCV Hospitals, the library offers print, online and video resources and librarian assistance, free of charge. CHEC opened to the public on Feb. 18. It is a partnership of the MCV Hospitals Auxiliary, the VCU Health System and VCU Libraries.

In addition to President Trani, Virginia First Lady Lisa Collis and Charlotte Roberts, past president of the MCV Hospitals Auxiliary, made brief comments.

Among the guests were U.S. Sen. George Allen, Virginia Congressmen Eric Cantor and Robert C. "Bobby" Scott and Virginia Attorney General Jerry Kilgore.