Notes from the Rotary Meeting 12.30pm Thursday, August 5, 2021
President Chris welcomed everyone and guest Rotarian Dean Stanley from Cornwall, Ontario, father of Corner Brook Rotarian Jensen.
Club Business
Summer Social
Gerry brought everyone up to date with the social Sunday, August 15. There was not enough response for a meal, but Rotarians and their guests are invited to the Anita Best and Sandy Morris Show at Holiday Inn Express at 2pm for the special ticket price of $15 per person. There will be a small food fair beforehand. Gerry would collect the money at the meeting or participants could pay at the door in which case it would be cash only.
Program
Program-chair Martin introduced the guest speaker Suzanne Carey, Executive Director of the Western Memorial Regional Hospital Foundation. Suzanne began by speaking of the 34-year history of the Foundation which has raised over 20 million dollars during this time.
She went on to share the news that the two-year Breast Cancer campaign was very successful. This was the first multi-year campaign with a price tag of over a million dollars. The equipment that was part of the campaign has arrived or is being ordered and includes a 3D Mammography Unit, a Lymphatic Mapping Probe and a General Ultrasound Unit. These units will improve the overall breast cancer care.
To raise these funds many different events are planned. There is the VOCM Radiothon in the Fall which this year will be October 1st. Other events are the Annual Gala and Auction, Tree of Memories around Christmastime, Chilli Cook Off, Golf Tournaments, Curling Funspiel and a Wine Tasting event. She touched on different ways the Foundation can be helped such as group fundraisers, payroll deductions, monthly automated business or service deductions, planned giving and volunteering to name a few.
She commented how different the past 18 months has been for fundraising and for living in general. The Foundation had its first virtual successful On-Line Auction in the spring and Case for Support via FaceBook last month. In this video clips were connected to give information about this year’s campaign that will focus on Heart, Lungs, Hearing and Critical Care that will improve overall healthcare in Western Newfoundland and Labrador. The price tag for this is $575,00 and through this new innovative technology will be added to many departments of Western Health.
There will be 6 EKG machines and the new machines will boost wireless capabilities, easy touch screens for quick repay and access to a patient’s file. This will help to provide better EKG services for patients.
Another machine is the endobroncial ultrasound for the Endoscopy Unit as well CPAP machines for patients with obstructive sleep apnea. The Intensive Care Unit will have a portable ultrasound and 3 DPOAE machines will be purchased for the Maternal Newborn Unit and the Audiology departments of WMRH and Sir Thomas Roddick Hospital, Stephenville.
Suzanne concluded her talk by thanking the Rotary Club of Corner Brook for the support over the years which has amounted to $70,300.
Several questions were asked, and Suzanne was thanked for her interesting and informative talk before the meeting adjourned