Representatives of the Olds Hospital Fundraising Committee have raised more than $230,000 during the past year or so, thanks to generous Olds and area donors.
That money has gone to fund some great projects: for example, a new state-of-the-art donor wall planned, a gazebo soon to be constructed, and a Quiet Room under construction for families who need some privacy.
Money also went toward machines in the lobby dispensing food and drinks when the Hospital Auxiliary Tuck Shop isn't open. It also funded purchase of a skid steer to clear the parking lots and move gravel or other materials around.
Four representatives of the committee -- David Thompson Health Trust development officer Ashlee Hamblin, Olds Hospital and Care Centre (OHCC) site manager Wayne Krejci, OHCC administrative assistant Kristine Schultz, and committee member Julie Calderwood -- say they're proud of these projects and look forward to raising money to fill other needs at the facility.
They also urge those who may not be able to donate funds but would like to help the community to sit on the committee.
Hamblin, Krejci, Schultz and Calderwood note the committee used to exist years ago. As recently as 2006-07, it raised more than $250,000 for various projects at the facility.
“We raised enough money for all the new beds needed here. At that time there were still old cranks – not people, beds,” Calderwood says.
Unfortunately, the committee then went into a kind of hibernation. It was revived about two years ago.
Krejci says committee members also want to celebrate the “successes within the facility” such as added programs that have been possible, thanks to all that fundraising.
That money has come in through a variety of avenues, Hamblin says.
For example, one chunk of money came via a bequest in the will of a donor.
Many more donations come in from patients and/or their families who are grateful for the care received at the hospital and care centre.
One project for which money has been raised is a gazebo to be installed in the cognitive impairment courtyard.
“We should be breaking ground on that shortly,” Krejci says. “I'm hoping so.”
“It's going to be a great enhancement,” Hamblin says.
Calderwood says Olds College has volunteered to design the gazebo and Olds Iron Works staff are donating their time to build it.
Hospital officials stress this won't be the first gazebo -- there already is one for long-term care residents -- but this one will be for the cognitively impaired area.
Last year's huge snowfall underlined the hospital and care facility's need for a skid steer.
Calderwood says it cost the facility thousands of dollars to hire a firm to come in and clear that snow away. Within two months, she says, the committee had obtained a skid steer for the OHCC at a cost of about $30,000. It arrived in January. Calderwood says the skid steer has already paid for itself.
Schultz agrees it was a great purchase.
“Basically instead of paying someone to come and clear the parking lot, maintenance now has the ability with the skid steer to do it themselves,” she says, adding staff can keep the parking lot safer by getting rid of ice and snow. They can also use it in the warmer months to do things like move gravel.
Another project in the works is the Quiet Room, a place where families can gather in private.
“Sometimes you get scary news; you want to be together as a family,” Hamblin says. “It'll be a place where they can go and be together outside of the medical environment. So the fundraising committee has invested some money in that to make it a comfortable place to be.”
Two new programs have been created at Olds hospital as a result of donated dollars. One is an OB/GYN (obstetrics and gynecology) program. The other is a shoulder surgery unit.
“People are experiencing shorter wait times. You can get your care closer to home now instead of going to the city,” Hamblin says. “Through community support, we're almost able to bring big-city care to the rural community.”
Committee members say those programs are a great boost for the Olds economy as a whole, because they attract people not only in Olds and area, but also from far out of town. Those out-of-town people spend money on other things as well, like hotels or motels, food and fuel.
The committee is also working on obtaining a brand new high-tech donor wall.
“Honestly, we're running out of wall space for the plaques (of donors to the hospital),” Hamblin says. “We're looking for maybe something more modern and that'll last quite a while. So we're looking at creating an electronic touch screen donor wall. It'll be right at the front entrance.”
“We'll be able to show the community photos of new equipment that has been purchased using donated dollars and highlight all of our donors who have made a contribution,” Hamblin adds. “We can actually show all of the people who have donated in their memory.”
The committee is currently looking for sponsors for that project.
“They would have their name on there all the time,” Hamblin says.
The committee also purchased an overhead lift.
“Those are great because overhead lifts are safer for both the patient and the caregiver who is moving a patient,” Hamblin says.
Schultz agrees.
“Patient safety and staff safety is a big issue with those two items, so no one is hurting their back when moving heavier patients,” she says.
The committee is also responsible for the installation of machines that dispense hot and cold beverages and snacks. An ATM (automated teller machine) is also available.
Committee members note patients as well as their friends and families can be in the hospital at all hours of the day. Unfortunately, the Tuck Shop, which provides some of those items and is run by the Hospital Auxiliary, is not always open when hunger or thirst strikes. So the machines were purchased and installed.
They have another benefit, Hamblin says.
“They also support the fundraising committee, so whenever someone purchases a hot coffee, a portion of that also comes back to support health-care enhancements,” she says.
Committee members stress the role of the organization is to raise the funds needed to enhance hospital facilities – not for basic health care, that's a government responsibility – but enhancements.
The purpose is “to make the community aware, to continue to donate to the facility, (make sure) that the needs are here, and their donation dollars are being spent appropriately,” Schultz says.
Krejic and Schultz stress all dollars donated are spent locally.
“Dollar for dollar there's no administration cost with the committee, so 100 per cent of donations go straight toward health care,” Hamblin says.
Hamblin says if Olds and area residents want to make a donation to the Olds Hospital Fundraising Committee there are several ways to do so.
You could mail in or drop off a donation at the hospital or donate via this website: oldshealthdonations.com. You can also phone the David Thompson Health Trust to make a donation. That phone number is 1-877-895-4430.
