SMART Alabama hosted a hospital appreciation luncheon for Crenshaw Community Hospital on Nov. 16. 

Staff who attended the event enjoyed box lunches from Pre’s Sweets & Things.

SMART Vice President Hee Young Kim, who has been with the auto parts manufacturer since January, presented the hospital with a check for $20,000.

“SMART would like to help [in your work] today by giving a $20,000 donation to the Crenshaw County Hospital as our way of saying, ‘Thank you for being here for all of us,’” Kim said. “It is an honor and a privilege to be able to do this for such an important part of Crenshaw County. Please accept this with our sincere gratitude.”

Employee Relations Manager Amy Kelley said she and other SMART employees enjoy getting out and giving back to their community.

“We are working really hard to make positive changes both at SMART and in Crenshaw County,” Kelley explained. “We have other things planned and this is not a short-term thing. We plan to be visible and involved in this community and county for years to come.”

Kim said SMART administrators understand the important and valuable resource the hospital is within the county. He told hospital staff he felt lucky to have a hospital close to their homes and the business.

“Our respect for the medical community is tremendous,” Kim exclaimed. “It takes a special person to devote their life and career to helping other people. To all the hard-working people who make this hospital strong every day of every week of every month, year after year, we say a heartfelt thank you.”

Hospital Administrator David Hughes said the hospital staff appreciates SMART’s contribution.

“We like to be partners with the businesses in our community,” Hughes said. “It makes a difference for us and for our staff to see something like this happening. We look forward to working with SMART in the future too.”

Hughes said events like the luncheon help the facility, which is critical to community healthcare, to better serve their community.

“I know the staff really appreciates it,” Hughes explained. “Healthcare is tough, but we can work together to make things a lot better in the community. That’s really what this is all about.”

According to Kim, SMART supplies auto parts to Hyundai Motors. The supplier’s annual sales are $300 million, and the company employs about 800 area residents.

“AT SMART we are already making positive strides and with our new wage structure and improvements to come, we are excited about the direction everything is now moving in,” Kelley said. “Thank you so much to the Crenshaw Community Hospital and all of their hard-working team. They are so valuable to this county, and we were thrilled that they allowed us to do this.”