The Weyburn and District Hospital Foundation officially opened their new office at Weyburn City Hall on June 10 and made several important announcements, including a $100,000 donation towards building a new hospital for the people of Weyburn and area.The $100,000 donation was made by Helen Davidson on behalf of the Bill and Helen Davidson Foundation. Davidson said she made the donation in loving memory of her husband Bill, who repeatedly warned her not to sell the oil rights at their Heward farm, which is where the money came from, according to Davidson.
"I didn't do it teaching music," laughed Davidson, who taught piano for 70 years in Weyburn.Davidson said that she felt that the donation was appropriate considering Bill had served on the Fillmore Hospital Board for several years, while she has been a part of the local community for 101 years, making it a donation that was close to both of their hearts.Davidson also cut the ribbon at the opening of the Weyburn and District Hospital Foundation's new office at City Hall. The office space has been offered to the foundation rent-free by the City of Weyburn.Chairperson Kim Thorson said that the Foundation is currently concentrating on getting organized, having just recently obtained their charitable designation from the Canada Revenue Agency, allowing them to issue tax deductible receipts for donations.Thorson stated that the Foundation has two priorities: to have a new hospital built for the people of Weyburn and the surrounding district and, to that end, make people in the community, government, corporations and service clubs aware of the desirability of building a new hospital in Weyburn; and doing all that they can to raise the necessary money to construct and equip the new hospital."I want to stay away from hospitals and doctors as much as some people want to stay away from lawyers," joked Thorson, a lawyer by trade. "But I don't want to live in a community in which people who need health care and hospital services have to go without the best that can be made available. That's what motivates us to do the best we can."The Weyburn and District Hospital Foundation was established as a fundraising organization to construct a new acute care hospital in Weyburn. Under the current legislation, the community must provide 35 percent of the cost to construct a new health care facility, while the provincial government will provide the remaining 65 percent.After several informal meetings in late 2008, the Foundation was incorporated under the Saskatchewan Non-profit Corporation Act this March. Since then, the Foundation has elected officers to their board of directors including Chairperson Thorson, Vice-chair Bill Holliday, Treasurer Ron Milleker, Secretary Rose Kinash, Peter Andrews, Mal Barber, Dan Cugnet, Dave Harazny, Mike Hoffman, Bob Kinash, Grant Marinos, George Siourounis, Mike Siourounis and Al York. The Foundation has also adopted a logo and slogan - "Building for a Healthy Future."Thorson noted that while good health services are being provided at Weyburn General Hospital, it needs to be replaced."It is nearing its 60th year of operation," said Thorson. "Its design and costs of operation and maintenance leave much to be desired."The Foundation's largest fundraiser to date was the Greek Feast held in February which raised nearly $40,000.The Foundation has also received commitments from the surrounding Rural Municipalities. The RM of Weyburn has announced its contribution of $1.25 million over 10 years and the RM of Brokenshell has made a commitment of $300,000 over 15 years."We are confident the City of Weyburn and other local governments in our area will follow suit," Thorson said.The next big contribution to the Foundation will come from the proceeds raised at the ninth annual Travelodge Golf Tournament, which was held on June 13. Organizers of the event are anticipating a total of approximately $35,000 to go towards the new hospital.The Foundation is working closely with the Sun Country Health Region to realize their goal. The Region has already raised nearly $600,000 from earlier fundraising efforts, which has been earmarked for the construction of a new hospital.
