MountainStar Healthcare’s Lakeview Hospital is celebrating the facility’s 50th anniversary – 50 years of caring for Utahns like family – by giving back to the next generation. Ahead of the 2026-2027 school year, Lakeview Hospital colleagues partnered with the Davis Education Foundation to fill 500 backpacks with school supplies for students in the Davis School District. The effort is part of Lakeview Hospital’s 50th anniversary celebration and reflects HCA Healthcare’s mission: “Above all else, we are committed to the care and improvement of human life.”
Lakeview Hospital was dedicated and opened to the community in Bountiful, Utah on Sept. 18, 1976, shortly after HCA Healthcare — known locally across Utah as MountainStar Healthcare — first opened in the Beehive State. Brigham City Community Hospital, a sister facility, opened on July 31, 1976.
Jacci Kennedy, the Director of Acute Care Nursing at Lakeview Hospital, said the backpack drive is a meaningful way for hospital colleagues to honor that legacy.
“We’re proud of our 50-year legacy and tradition, so why not commemorate it by showing up for our community? We believe in showing up for our patients, our colleagues and our community,” Kennedy told FOX13’s The PLACE host, Ashley Hawk. “We take seriously the dedication to serving our communities, and it goes well beyond patient rooms and our hospital walls.”
The backpacks will include essential school supplies such as notebooks, folders, erasers, No. 2 pencils, pencil pouches or boxes, colored pencils, glue sticks, pencil sharpeners, child-safe scissors and tissues.
The Davis Education Foundation supports the Davis School District, which is made up of 92 schools and more than 67,000 students. Founded in 1982, the foundation serves as the district’s fundraising partner and connects community generosity with programs that help students thrive.
Sherry Miggin, the Partnership & Development Coordinator with the Davis Education Foundation, says the need is significant.
“20% of our students are economically disadvantaged. This equates to about 13,000 students in need,” Miggin explained.
Kennedy said the effort is personal for many hospital colleagues, especially those who are parents.
“As a mom of two boys, I get it. You want to do everything you can for your kids,” Kennedy said. “School supplies are expensive. Life, in general, is expensive. We understand that.”
She said supporting students and families is closely connected to the hospital’s broader commitment to community health.
“Supporting students today strengthens the health of our entire community tomorrow,” Kennedy said. “When we invest in children and families, we are investing in long-term community health.”
· RELATED: Utah’s first hospital donates 150 backpacks to celebrate 150 years
Hospital leaders said the partnership with Davis Education Foundation is one of several ways Lakeview Hospital colleagues support the community. As part of HCA Healthcare, colleagues are encouraged to support nonprofit organizations aligned with food security, community resources and basic needs, and after-school and educational enrichment.
“The Davis Education Foundation will help ensure the backpacks reach elementary school students in need,” Miggin added.
Davis School District & Education Foundation
According to the Davis School District website, in 2025, Davis Schools had a 93% graduation rate. Further, 5,885 graduates in 2025 earned $130.1 million in scholarships. In addition, $4.6 million in-kind donations were made to the Davis Education Foundation.
The mission of the foundation is “to remove barriers to learning, provide educational opportunities to every student, and create partnerships that connect the community through giving.” Donors fund five impact areas that address learning, belonging, and student wellbeing—from early childhood through graduation and beyond. Each area represents a critical gap where private giving makes a measurable difference. These areas include:
- Catalyst – Flagship growth initiative funding innovation and systemic improvement across the district.
- Early Literacy – Imagination Library and related efforts that put books in children’s hands.
- Scholarships & Grants – Direct support for students and educators pursuing excellence.
- Student Opportunity – Unified Sports, athletics access, and enrichment programs that build belonging.
- Student Supports – Teen Centers, Teen Living Center support, Child Spree, Kids’ Closet, and seasonal needs.
The Davis School District is also the second largest employer in Davis County with 10,000 employees.
Celebrating 50 Years of Caring Like Family
Lakeview Hospital is inviting the community to join them in honoring this special occasion by sharing your anecdotes, testimonials, and memories with them. Whether you’ve been a patient, family member, colleague, or volunteer at the Bountiful hospital, your experiences are a vital part of its history. Submit your story online and follow the facility on social media – @LakeviewHospital on Facebook and on Instagram – using the hashtag #LVH50 to reflect on the lives impacted and the future the community is building—together. Here’s to 50 years of caring like family—and many more to come!
In addition to the 500 backpacks Lakeview Hospital donated, its HCA Healthcare sister facilities across Utah – known locally as MountainStar Healthcare – are also donating 50 backpacks per hospital to students in their communities. In all, MountainStar Healthcare is donating 850 total backpacks across Utah to support local students and their families. The hospitals below are providing backpacks to the non-profit organization listed below:
- Brigham City Community Hospital (Brigham City) – Box Elder Family Support Center
- Lakeview Hospital (Bountiful) – Davis Education Foundation
- St. Mark’s Hospital (Millcreek) – United Way of Salt Lake
- Lone Peak Hospital (Draper) – Canyons Education Foundation
- Mountain View Hospital (Payson) – Nebo School District
Another Way MountainStar Healthcare is Showing Up for Schools
Beyond donating backpacks, MountainStar Healthcare is helping students explore what a future in healthcare could look like. Through a $25,000 HCA Healthcare Foundation grant to Canyons Education Foundation, Lone Peak Hospital and HCA Healthcare's Center for Clinical Advancement recently welcomed 25 students from the AHEC Medical Scholars program into professional clinical learning environments, where they practiced real-world scenarios, learned from healthcare professionals and gained early exposure to a variety of careers. The Canyons School District program, offered in partnership with Weber State University, allows students to earn college credit while building practical skills with tools such as scrubs, blood pressure cuffs and stethoscopes. These experiences help students build confidence, explore what is possible and take meaningful steps toward future healthcare careers.
To learn more about Lakeview Hospital and MountainStar Healthcare’s community engagement efforts, visit MountainStar.com. To learn more about the Davis Education Foundation, visit DavisKids.org.
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· Utah’s first hospital donates 150 backpacks to celebrate 150 years
