Picton Rotary fulfills $100,000 pledge for County’s new hospital

Pictured at the Prince Edward Yacht Club, from left, are: Ian Chan, Rotarian and director of community service; Don Leslie, president of the Rotary Club of Picton; Shannon Coull, executive director of the PECMH Foundation; and Dr. Andy Janikowski, Rotarian and PECMHF board member. – Briar Boyce photo

Rotary Club of Picton members are celebrating the culmination of efforts to raise $100,000 pledged to support the building of Prince Edward County’s new hospital.

At their weekly meeting at the Prince Edward Yacht Club, Don Leslie, president, presented the final installment of $32,000 to Shannon Coull, executive director of the hospital foundation, and Dr. Andy Janikowski, foundation board member.

“I am so proud of our members who have worked hard to achieve this success,” said Leslie. “Our club has raised these funds by allocating proceeds from the cash calendar sales, through annual events like the Waterfalls Tour, the Lilac Ride and the golf tournament and its online auction. I want to thank the community which has supported all these club activities, and to commend the Rotarians for this amazing achievement.”

A room in the new hospital will be named to recognize the club’s fundraising efforts achieved with the community’s generous support.

In the fall of 2020, the Rotarians focused some fundraising efforts on the Prince Edward County Memorial Hospital Foundation’s (PECMHF) Back the Build campaign and over the past three years, worked diligently to raise funds for the campaign.

“This generous pledge, which is now realized, brings us another step closer to building our new hospital,” said Coull. “A hospital our community needs. We’re grateful to the Rotary Club of Picton for their contributions and community leadership.

She added the work of the foundation and campaign cabinet would not be possible without partners in the community and their commitment to making a positive difference.

“The foundation’s partnership with the Rotary Club of Picton spans more than 21 years of generosity. Picton Rotary has contributed over $214,000, which has helped fund essential equipment needed at our County hospital and now Backs the Build for our new hospital,” Coull added.

“The PECMHF Board and Back the Build Campaign Cabinet Members are excited to see this gift for the new hospital fulfilled by the Picton Rotarians,” said Janikowski. “We believe it is important our community continues to have access to the best possible health care. A new hospital will not only replace an aging building but also ensure patients of the hospital continue to have access to quality health care close to home. Our new hospital will be built so those needing medical attention in our community will continue to receive the best care possible in a leading-edge facility thanks partly to Picton Rotary.”

More information about PECMHF’s Back the Build campaign can be found by visiting www.pecmhf.ca

The Prince Edward County Memorial Hospital Foundation is a charitable organization dedicated to raising funds to advance health care for the people of Prince Edward County and patients of the hospital.