8th tournament taps in $52,780 ‘fore’ the hospital

Pictured in front of the Back the Build billboard on the future site of the new hospital, from left, are: Briar Boyce, senior development officer with the PECMH Foundation and Teeing Up Fore Health Care golf committee member; Nancy Parks, Back the Build campaign cabinet chairperson; Herb Pliwischkies, sales representative with RE/MAX Quinte and Teeing Up Fore Health Care golf committee member and Shannon Coull, executive director of the PECMH Foundation. Missing from photo are golf committee members: Terry DeRoche, Rachel Henry, Kerry McConkey, and Sean McKinney. – Sue Vincent photo

Supporters of the eighth annual Teeing Up Fore Health Care golf classic scored a hole-in-one raising a record-setting $52,780.84 for the Prince Edward County Memorial Hospital Foundation (PECMHF).

Realtors at RE/MAX Quinte Ltd. in Prince Edward County teed up support in June’s sold-out tournament for the hospital foundation’s Back the Build equipment campaign.

This year’s proceeds will go toward the purchase of a $500,000 digital mammography machine which plays a critical role in the early screening and diagnosis of breast disease. During the last year, technologists performed more than 1,550 breast exams at Prince Edward County Memorial Hospital (PECMH). The current machine is more than10 years old and is past its recommended lifespan.

“New digital mammography machines can find breast abnormalities far earlier than the past equipment can, creating treatment options that can eradicate cancer before it has a chance to do lasting damage,” said Shannon Coull, executive director of the PECMH Foundation. “The foundation aims to partner with County businesses and others to help us meet the needs of our fundraising goals – bringing modern equipment to our current hospital and to our new hospital. We are proud of RE/MAX’s ongoing efforts to Tee Up Fore Health Care in support of our new County hospital.”

This year’s tournament achievement brings RE/MAX’s total for funds raised for PECMHF to just over $519,000.

Last year’s tournament raised more than $38,000 toward an x-ray machine.

“I couldn’t be more thrilled with the response from the community for this tournament and for the fundraising efforts for the new hospital,” said Sean McKinney, broker of record at RE/MAX Quinte. “Our reps are extremely active and involved in this community, and they know the positive impact that having a viable hospital has on families. The fact that we can facilitate this tournament and be a part of helping the hospital foundation in such important work is extremely fulfilling and is a natural extension of our business.”

Twenty-five foursomes teed off under sunny skies to enjoy 18 holes at the Picton Golf and Country Club, a Par 72 course.

Picton Home Hardware and Building Centre donated the prizes for the hole activities and top foursome.

Winners of the various activities throughout the day included Hunter Fargey and Rachel Henry as longest drive competition winners while Hotch Earl and Ali Hainse were closest to the pin winners.

The winning foursome came from Wilkinson & Company LLP Chartered Accountants (Jeff Snider, Richard Dainard and Terry Greer) at 15 under par.

The live and silent auctions portion of the evening saw prizes donated by more than 40 local businesses and raised more than $20,000.

“We are incredibly grateful to be the beneficiaries of this wonderful community event hosted by RE/MAX,” said Nancy Parks, chairperson of the Back the Build campaign. “Donor support is key to making the new hospital a reality and that includes arming it with leading edge medical equipment, including the new mammography machine. We have an extremely rare opportunity to build and equip a modern facility that will improve the quality-of-care patients receive locally. This is a game changer for Prince Edward County and we are calling on business and community leaders, like RE/MAX, to invest in the new Prince Edward County Memorial Hospital to bring this important project to life.”

To learn more about how you can Back the Build for the new hospital, visit www.pecmhf.ca