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Coats leaving CHC Volunteers, NMI
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Posted on Oct 31 2008
After nearly two decades and helping raise millions of dollars, Kim Coats is leaving her position as president of the Commonwealth Health Center’s Volunteers Association to return to Toronto, Canada, to take care of her mother.
At a ceremony attended by CHC employees, as well as Gov. Benigno R. Fitial and Lt. Gov. Timothy Villagomez, Coats said she is going to miss the CNMI tremendously.
“Oh my God, this is my home,” she said. “But it’s a new adventure. I really enjoy adventures.”
Coats originally came to the CNMI after visiting Guam, a vacation that was not easy to plan. She said she was looking through the atlas and found Guam. Being a history buff, she was aware of the territory, but did not know much about it. It took three months and three calls to the State Department to find out how to get to the island, she said.
She visited the CNMI in April 1989, and by September 1989 she moved back to the Commonwealth with her husband. She thought it would be a two-year adventure, but it turned into 19 years.
“My husband and I are big history lovers, and this is history. We just fell in love,” she said.
As president of CHC Volunteers, Coats worked with 15 staff volunteers. The volunteers are responsible for many of the fundraising efforts, as well as running the hospital’s gift shop.
“The main purpose of CHC Volunteers is to raise money to purchase things for the hospital that does not fit into the budget,” she said. “We raise money for those little extras: TVs, wheelchairs, warm blankets, pillow cases.”
She said she helped start a women’s group that puts together baby packages for newborns.
Public Health Secretary Joseph Kevin Villagomez said he is sad to see Coats depart but understands why she is leaving.
“I will miss her not only as a CHC volunteer, but as a very, very good friend,” he said. “But the reason for her leaving is exactly what we cherish in this community, that she going to take care of her mom, which is something that, although we are sad to see her leave, we embrace the fact that she is going to take care of a family member.”
