Donald Gene "Don" Jarvis, a longtime member of the Wilkes Regional Medical Center board of trustees, has been recognized by his peers by naming the hospital's dialysis center in his honor. WRMC CEO Ted Chapin, hospital board chairman Bert Hall, North Wilkesboro Mayor Elect George Church, North Wilkesboro Commissioner Robert Johnson and others gathered at the ailing Jarvis' North Wilkesboro home on Friday. Jarvis, who suffers from cancer, was presented with a portrait of himself with a plaque that will be placed in the lobby of the dialysis center in West Park. Describing the event, Chapin said, "Don was very taken aback and very flattered." Jarvis served on the hospital board from September 1996 until November 2004. "Don had quite an affection for the dialysis center," Chapin said. "He felt strongly that people should be able to stay in the county for the service. He was instrumental in getting it back under the hospital's management and growing the services. The center started with 10 seats. One more seat has been recently added with plans for five more in the near future. "The board felt it was important that we honored Don for all the work he has done as a board member," Chapin continued. "The year he was board chairman was a difficult time for the hospital. It was under his leadership that we started a healing process." During one meeting he asked two non-board members to sit in on a closed session. "That was a gesture that he wanted to keep the decisions of the board out on the table, in the public and discussed openly," Chapin said. During last Monday's hospital board meeting, the board reached a unanimous consensus to name the center in Jarvis' honor. The plaque and portrait are expected to go up in December. The plaque reads: Donald Gene Jarvis: For turning a dream into a reality." "It was important to him that he made a difference," said WRMC Director of Marketing and Medical Staff Development Tammy Love. "It's a great honor to recognize him for what he did here at Wilkes Regional Medical Center." "I personally think it's great," Chapin said. "I admire Don. It's a privilege to have been able to work with him."