By Cecilia Nasmith/Today’s Northumberland
The October Northumberland Hills Hospital board meeting closed with success stories from both the auxiliary and the foundation.
Representing the auxiliary, Marg Hilborn said that the recent Blitz and Bling event at their Petticoat Lane thrift store had drawn shoppers from as far away as Niagara Falls, all of whom were delighted with the treasures the volunteers arranged for the occasion.
“The team at Petticoat Lane have a fabulous eye for what to hold back,” Hilborn said.
A new look for the auxiliary volunteers may be in the works, she added. The maroon tabards they wear when working around the hospital to enhance patient care don’t look great on their male volunteers, she said, and they can be pretty hot.
They are considering some kind of an adjustable apron with a change of colour scheme – based, of course, on the hospital’s colour palette.
Tyler Hathway represented the foundation in recapping their busy season – summer, when there seems to be an endless stream of special events.
It started with the Equipped To Care golf tournament, which is in its third year. This event brought in $26,000. Wine and Ale In The Park raised $20,000.
Northumberland’s Biggest Coffee Morning has become one of their more successful events, Hathway said. It seems to be growing in popularity and participants and, this year, brought in $35,000.
A new event was a project of the foundation’s Youth Cares committee. The Colour Run they organized in Port Hope raised $4,700 – not bad for a first year, Hathway said.
“All the feedback we’ve had is that it was a great event, with lots of families and kids and a lot of participation from hospital staff.”
Bike Up Northumberland is a fundraiser run jointly by the foundation and the Campbellford Memorial Hospital Foundation, with proceeds split between them. Though final figures are not yet in, Hathway expects it will account for $!5,000.
A new fundraiser is also a tribute to long-time community philanthropist Bill Patchett. A beautiful garden has been established in his honour, and people are lining up to buy tiles in it.
Hathway completed his report with an accounting from figures that were available half-way through the foundation’s fiscal year on Aug. 31. They had planned to raise $2.408-million and are about halfway there with $1.3-million.
Author: Pete Fisher
Has been a photojournalist for over 30-years and have been honoured to win numerous awards for photography and writing over the years. Best selling author for the book Highway of Heroes - True Patriot Love
