“We aren’t canceling! We will be getting wet anyway,” said Dr. John Bream, medical director at Novant Health Rowan Medical Center.

Last Wednesday while others were preparing for the remnants of Hurricane Michael, the emergency department at the hospital hosted “Dunk the Doctors” in honor of National Emergency Nurse’s Day.

The dunk tank was set up outside the EMS entrance with a full slate of physicians and hospital administrators participating. They included Bream and Drs. Jim Murphy, Susan Echterling, Albert Salas, Eric Mallico, Danny Holland, Matthew Harrison, Tapan Desai, and Matt Storey.

From the emergency department staff were Rob Heim and Joe Sandusky, and from administration, Ryne Robbins, Gary Blabon and emergency nurse manager April Gaither. Also participating was Rowan County EMS Director Lenny Cooper.

From 10 a.m. to 3 p.m., hospital employees were invited to buy throws with all the proceeds going to benefit the Community Care Clinic of Rowan County.

“We wanted to do something fun for our nurses who work so hard each day,” said Bream. “It seems very natural that we support the clinic since many of their patients are also ones that utilize the emergency department.”

A partnership is in the works for emergency department medical providers to volunteer at the clinic.

“It only makes sense for us to go down and volunteer so that these shared patients do not have to be saddled with massive debt,” Bream said.

Dr. Amy Wilson, medical director at the Community Care Clinic, accepted a check for $2,000 at the end of the day after taking the opportunity to throw a few balls at Bream, dunking him.

“We are so very excited about this new partnership and hope that it will continue to help Rowan County residents in need and, at the same time, decrease unnecessary visits to the emergency department,” Wilson said.