Hospital volunteers make 7th payment on $1 million pledge

Photo provided

North Bay General Hospital Foundation
News Release

***********************

The North Bay General Hospital Volunteer Association was giving like Santa today at their December General Meeting, surprising the Hospital Foundation with an additional $25,000 cheque towards Cardiac and Stroke care. This was in addition to the 7th $100,000 payment made on their $1 million pledge to the Caring for Generations Campaign for the new hospital.

Volunteer Association President Bob Mantha says their group saw higher than anticipated fundraising success in 2008 allowing them to donate the extra money. Mantha says the support of the hospital employees, patients and visitors help them meet and surpass their pledge goal every year. "With the support of the Volunteer Tuck shops in the hospital, along with the various fundraising efforts throughout the year, we were able to surpass our initial donation benchmark for 2008," he said.

Foundation Board Chair, Barbara Morland Wellard, accepted the cheque on behalf of the Foundation. Expressing her gratitude for the donation, Ms Morland Wellard explained, "the Volunteer Association is among the largest donors to the Caring for Generations Campaign. Their donation is helping us build the new hospital and purchase medical equipment to help provide for more advanced levels of care today and in preparation for the move to the new hospital."

Three volunteers were also honoured for their achievements during today's meeting. Volunteer Lottie Frenssen was recognized for completing 40 years of volunteering at NBGH. Volunteer Vera Frechette was presented with a bouquet of flowers from Susan Lang Coordinator Volunteer Resources and Hospital Board Chair Alain Perron in recognition for receiving the award of Lifetime Member with the Hospital Auxiliaries Association of Ontario (HAAO). Becoming a lifetime member of HAAO, volunteers need to be an active and contributing member of one or more healthcare auxiliaries/associations for a minimum of 20 years. And recently retired volunteer Noreen Barker was recognized for her long volunteer service with the NBGH volunteer association.

Over 150 volunteers serve in 50 programs/services at the Hospital. Volunteers assist in patient and non-patient areas. Some of these areas are the Information Desk, Palliative Care, Emergency Department, Cancer Clinic, Ophthalmology and Orthopaedic Clinics. Volunteers provide service all week on days and evenings with the majority of the demand for services being Monday to Friday during the day.

If you are interested in becoming a volunteer, please contact the hospital's Volunteer Services Department at 474-8600 Ext. 4140.

***********************