Kiwanis, St. Andrews ‘Back the Build’

Two healthy donations were presented this week to ‘Back the Build’ of Prince Edward County new hospital.

The Kiwanis Club of Picton collected fees for parking at the popular Waupoos Estates Winery Elvis Festival earlier this month and in turn, decided to turn over proceeds to the Prince Edward County Memorial Hospital Foundation’s Back the Build campaign for the proposed redevelopment of our County Hospital.

Pictured from left are Lillian Duffy and Stan Green on behalf of the PECMH Foundation, Linda Wilson, president of the Kiwanis Club of Picton, Kathy Connors from Waupoos Winery and John Walker from the PECMH Foundation. The amount presented is the cumulative total the Kiwanis Club has given to the PECMH Foundation’s Back the Build campaign to date. – Sheila VanSoelen photo

St. Andrew’s Anglican Church scored a hole-in-one for the PECMH Foundation’s Back the Build Campaign on August 15. The church’s 10th anniversary tournament raised $3,500 for the proposed redevelopment of our County hospital.

The tournament was sold out and players teed off under sunny skies at the Wellington on the Lake Golf Course on August 9.

“It is a real pleasure to be able to allocate money to organizations who are making a positive difference for people and our community,” said Reverend Ada Clifton of St. Andrew’s Anglican Church. “As followers of Christ, we rejoice in all efforts to make the world a more loving, peaceful, safe and beautiful place and we are hopeful that we can encourage more contributors to join in this important community project,”

Pictured at St. Andrew’s Church from left (at back) St. Andrew’s golf committee members Keith Norris, Art Hewer, Dave Hilson and Ron Cork. From left (at front), Marthe Robertson, campaign manager for PECMHF, Briar Boyce, communications and donations co-ordinator for PECMHF and Reverend Ada Clifton of St. Andrew’s Anglican Church. Absent from the photo on behalf of the golf committee were Bill Boultbee, Jim Carson (who also sponsored the putting contest) and Sandra Farquar who was the ‘driving’ force behind organizing the tournament.

The first stage of the five-stage planning process for the new hospital set by the Ministry of Health was approved last February. The stage two plan is being prepared, outlining operational needs and space requirements for the new facility.

The proposal focuses on the same services in a better space with the highest standards of infection control. Every patient will have a private washroom. The emergency department will include more private and flexible facilities. It will be built to handle everything from fish hooks to cardiac events.

If you are interested in having the Foundation’s ‘Friends of the Hospital’ group speak to your club or social group, please contact Lillian Duffy at duffylill55@gmail.com or John Walker at innovatealot@yahoo.ca or by calling 613-476-1008 ext. 4425.

Since its beginning in 1985, the PECM Foundation has raised more than $6 million for medical equipment and building renovations. Annually, the Foundation funds the purchase of an average of $400,000 in medical equipment. Now the Foundation is also responsible for raising the community’s share of $12.7 million for the new hospital, plus an estimated $3 million for equipment to be moved into the new hospital. All together, the Foundation expects it will need to raise $16.5 million over the next five years.