The sisters collaborated with Oxnard's community of ranchers, farmers, doctors and business leaders to make the dream of a hospital a reality. In May 1912, St. John's hospital was successfully opened in a temporary six-room wooden structure. John Borchard, a rancher, along with his family, donated of land for the hospital site and $20,000 for the perpetual endowment of two hospital beds for the poor. The original six-room hospital was built by Oxnard pioneers John Borchard, J.A. Driffill, C.J. Elliott, Charles Donlon, W.H. Lathrop, L. Lehmann, and A. Levy. In honor of Rev. Laubacher, the hospital was named St. John's after his patron saint, St. John the Evangelist. Sister Mary Gabriel Gardiner from El Centro served as the first administrator of St. John's Hospital.