In order to get new equipment, fundraising is an absolute necessity for Timmins and District Hospital (TADH). Provincial government funding addresses operating costs, such as staff salaries and utilities.
That’s where the Timmins and District Hospital Foundation (TADHF) has a full-time mission of raising funds for new equipment hospital wide. They also rely on organizations and individuals to support its fundraiser and make donations.
Recently, the Schumacher Lions Club stepped up with a $50,000 donation to the TADHF.
“We’re a district hospital,” said Jason Laneville, TADHF executive director. “We serve a lot of different communities in northeastern Ontario and everybody’s stepping up. Our district services are used across the northeast and it’s important for all communities to come forward.
“We’re pretty fortunate to have donors like the Lions Club come forward with donations.”
Hospital statistics available on the foundation’s website show TADH is a busy facility. On an annual basis, the hospital receives more than 40,000 emergency room visits, conducts about 5,000 surgeries, 75,000 diagnostic exams and delivers 730 babies. The catchment area is from the James Bay coast in the north to Englehart in the south, Chapleau in the west to the Quebec border in the east. It is also common for patients from as far away as Sudbury and even western Quebec to be referred to TADH for services like an MRI, as the wait list is shorter than in their own communities.
Donations are going to the hospital for the highest priority needs for equipment, maintenance and renovations.
“Every piece of equipment does have a life span and it has to be replaced,” Laneville said. “We are running 24/7 with the MRI, for example, and obviously there is some maintenance required. We’ll definitely have to upgrade it at a certain point in time and that point is coming very soon. It’s part of the capital campaign.”
Members of the Lions Club were given a tour of areas where the money is spent. Club president Danny Ansara said the decision to provide the donation to the TADHF was a “no brainer,” since everyone in the community relies on the hospital for health care and services.
He explained how the club raised the funds for the donation.
“One of our supporters is Jackpot Time Bingo,” he said. “There are 80 groups involved to make money for their associations, including us. We raise quite a bit of money there over the course of a year.
“For the Schumacher Lions Club, others ways of raising funds are through our Spring Sportsmen Show and our Christmas Craft Show. Along with the bingo, those are our main three ways of raising money.
“We do have other events, like our 240 Social, a series of draws ending with a steak dinner and the grand prize draws.”
Whether it is working at the bingo or being involved with other projects, Ansara said club members volunteering their time is the key.
“To raise money for worthy causes, like the hospital, our volunteers are essential,” he said. “We’re just one of many. Hopefully, more organizations will come through to support the hospital. We live here. They live here. At some point, we all need to utilize the hospital.”
