Picton Rotary presents installment of $100,000 pledge to Back the Build

Pictured at QHC PECMH presenting the first $20,000 of a $100,000 pledge, from left, are: Rick Jones, Rotarian; Nancy Parks, Back the Build campaign co-chair; John Clarke, president of the Rotary Club of Picton; Bob Bird, Rotarian; Shannon Coull, executive director of the PECMH Foundation and Rotarian; Grant Reynolds, Rotarian; Donald Wakefield, Rotarian; Frank Wright, Rotarian and Libby Crombie, Back the Build campaign cabinet member and Rotarian. Briar Boyce photo

Picton Rotary members embraced their club motto Service Above Self this month as they announced a $100,000 pledge toward the construction of Prince Edward County’s new hospital.

“Picton Rotary’s philanthropic support of the hospital is both long-standing and unwavering,” said Shannon Coull, executive director of the PECMH Foundation. “This pledge follows more than 19 years of generous donations from the membership. They have contributed over $110,000 which has helped fund important projects such as the construction of the dialysis unit in 2002. The club has also supported priority equipment purchases including the digital mammography machine with proceeds from their annual golf tournament. Their commitment to help Back the Build for a new hospital reinforces the club’s legacy of supporting the hospital, and for that we are so grateful.”

A room in the new QHC Prince Edward County Memorial Hospital will be named in recognition of Picton Rotary’s support.

Representatives from Picton Rotary presented members of the PECMHF team with their first pledge installment of $20,000. The funds were raised through the 2021 cash calendar sales sold last November and December – a record-breaking year for calendar sales.

“Rotarians sold 1,580 at various distribution locations throughout Picton including W.H. Williamson Insurance, Sobey’s, Printcraft, Picton Home Hardware, Canadian Tire and County Farm Centre, among others. We thank our local retail outlets and wish everyone who has purchased a calendar the best of luck. You’re all helping to build our new hospital,” said Grant Reynolds, Rotary cash calendar chairperson.

“We believe a strong community makes a hospital greater, and a great hospital makes a community stronger,” said John Clarke, president of Picton Rotary. “The backbone of our calendar sales has always been through our membership whereby Rotarians and others sell calendars to family and friends. Rotary is proud of the amazing spirit shown by County residents for this initiative.”

Nancy Parks, Back the Build campaign cabinet co-char says the work of the foundation and campaign cabinet would not be possible without partners in the community.

“Rotary’s motto, Service Above Self, really does sum up in three words what Rotary, at its core, is all about. I know many of us who purchased cash calendars feel good turning the page each month knowing we are all helping to play a part in getting a new hospital built in Prince Edward County.”

Pictured at QHC PECMH presenting the first $20,000 of a $100,000 pledge, from left, are: Rick Jones, Rotarian; Nancy Parks, Back the Build campaign co-chair; John Clarke, president of the Rotary Club of Picton; Bob Bird, Rotarian; Shannon Coull, executive director of the PECMH Foundation and Rotarian; Grant Reynolds, Rotarian; Donald Wakefield, Rotarian; Frank Wright, Rotarian and Libby Crombie, Back the Build campaign cabinet member and Rotarian. Briar Boyce photo