Check your mailbox.
The postcards for the Women’s Auxiliary of the Barrie Memorial Hospital’s annual membership drive and fundraiser have been mailed to households across the region, and donations in support of the Ormstown-based hospital are already coming in.
It a good thing, because this past year the Women’s Auxiliary donated over $61,600 towards the purchase of new equipment for the hospital and recently committed $500,000 to help cover the installation costs of a new CT scanner.
The investments at the hospital include much-needed medical equipment as well as initiatives aimed at improving patients’ well-being. These include $21,150 for curative and therapeutic mattresses for the hospital’s third floor, as well as $10,890 for office equipment in the radiology department, $7,262 for wheelchairs for both the emergency department and the third floor, $3,699 for spirometry equipment for the respiratory therapy department, $3,521 for a computer screen in the critical care unit (CCU), and $1,839 on exterior landscaping.
“Santé-Québec Montérégie-Ouest has a budget to cut the grass and that is all they have,” said McClintock, referring to work that was done to spruce up the gardens, refinish the gazebo, and improve the look of the hospital’s exterior.
“All of the little extras that we provide come directly from the community,” McClintock explained. “It is extremely important that the Women’s Auxiliary continue to exist,” she added, noting the organization tries to provide everything the hospital teams need on the floor.
In addition to their support for the Barrie Memorial, the Women’s Auxiliary also donates to area health facilities, including $3,340 to the Huntingdon CLSC and $6,3323 to the Centre d’hébergement d’Ormstown CHSLD over this past fiscal year.
McClintock confirmed that the renovation work to accommodate the CT scanner has already started. Patients are being booked for screenings at the Anna Laberge hospital in Châteauguay or at the Hôpital du Suroît in Salaberry-de-Valleyfield while the new scanner is installed. It is expected to be functional as early as this December.
The Barrie Memorial Hospital Foundation has also pledged $500,000 to the project. McClintock explained that Valley residents wishing to support this initiative could donate to either organization. She explained that the two organizations work well together and are in talks about organizing a joint fundraising campaign.
In the meantime, the annual Christmas Bazaar is right around the corner. This year’s event will take place on November 7 from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. at Chateauguay Valley Regional High School.
McClintock said that volunteers are needed for that day, and in general to help with Auxiliary activities. Volunteers are also welcome at the Barrie Memorial to help greet patients and families, and to provide support on the different floors.