OSWEGO, N.Y. — The Lobdell family of Pulaski has donated $1 million to Oswego Health’s Lakeview Center for Mental Health & Wellness.
The family also shared a personal, tragic story while making the gift.
Vinny Lobdell and his younger sister, Amy, announced the donation during the Oswego Health Foundation Gala held Saturday night at the Lake Ontario Event and Conference Center.
The Lobdells made the announcement following an emotional video in which the Lobdell family — Vinny, Amy, and parents Vince and Nancy — told the story of Rusty Lobdell, their brother and son, respectively, who died by suicide in 1995 at the age of 19 after struggling with Schizophrenia.
“Our family is honored to work with Oswego Health and share our family’s story in hopes that other people affected by mental illness can get the help they so need in our community,” Vinny Lobdell said in an Oswego Health news release. “We know that one-fifth of the U.S. population lives with some sort of mental disorder and it often starts at a young age. 75 percent manifest before the age of 24 and 50 percent start to show signs before the age of 14. When you add in the family members, we’re talking millions of Americans. I believe every one of us in this room has probably been touched in some way by mental illness.”
Michael Backus, incoming president and CEO of Oswego Health, said the Lobdell family’s decision to both donate money — and speak out about Rusty’s struggle — will “help reduce the stigma of mental illness in the rural community.”
“To have a local family that’s not only been extraordinarily successful from a business perspective but has been directly touched through Rusty … will really go a long way towards reinforcing the importance of what we do every day,” Backus said.
The Lobdell family owns and operates the Pulaski–based business Healthway.
Oswego Health noted that the Lobdells toured the Lakeview Center and were moved by how different it was from the facilities to which they brought Rusty when he was ill.
“Lakeview was state of the art, bright and full of hope,” Vinny Lobdell said. “One of the most challenging things a family can do is find good care for a loved one when they are struggling….We had wished that Lakeview was here when our brother was still with us. We knew we needed to do all in our power to ensure the entire CNY community and beyond knew about it.”
The Lakeview Center opened at 29 E. Cayuga St. in Oswego in 2021. It has 32 inpatient mental-health beds and provides outpatient mental-health services. The center also has outpatient services and a primary-care office.
Jamie Leszczynski, communications director at Oswego Health, said the family’s gift is “powerful, and not just because of the money.”
“The fact that they are willing to attach their name and their son’s name to this is huge,” said Leszczynski, whose brother died by suicide 20 years ago. “It’s huge, because it personalizes it and it reduces those stigmas. It does not matter what your income level is, your ethnicity, where you grew up…Talking about it is part of how you save lives.”