Passion and Commitment
Don and Sherrie McMurtrey
In Fall 2006, Patricia Houchin, chair of the Campaign for Memorial Hospital's Advancement Committee, invited her friend Sherrie McMurtrey to attend a tour and luncheon at Bakersfield Memorial Hospital. After that first meeting, Sherrie knew she wanted to become more involved and get her husband involved as well.
"After my tour of the Center for Wound Care and Hyperbarics, I knew Don would be interested in this," said Sherrie. Don jokes that he was invited for lunch and the next thing he knew he was on a fundraising committee. All joking aside, Don and Sherrie are passionate about healthcare in Kern County. "I want to see Kern County have the best healthcare facilities available. We are happy to be able to give back to our community in this way," said Don.
Not only did they join the Advancement Committee and commit to helping raise funds for The Campaign for Memorial Hospital, they made a significant monetary commitment. Don and Sherrie made a pledge of stocks worth $100,000, which will be paid over a four-year period. Sherrie said that the fact that 100 percent of their donation will stay local was a big factor in their decision to commit both their money and their time.
A native of Bakersfield, Don and his family have been in business in this community for many years. His father, N.C. McMurtrey, known as "Mac", bought Southern Auto Supply in 1956. In 1966, Don and his brother Jon bought into the business and formed a family partnership that expanded to cover all of California and Nevada with the Carquest brand.
The McMurtreys are involved in Memorial Hospital in a number of ways. Not only are Don and Sherrie volunteering their time and money, but their daughter-in-law is a registered nurse in Labor and Delivery and Don's mother, Stella, was a member of the hospital auxiliary in the late 1950's.
