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Hospital campaign collects more than $6.19 million

Posted By Ron Grech, The Daily Press

One digit at a time, members of the Give ... For the Health of It! campaign revealed how much money two-and-a-half year effort raised for Timmins and District Hospital at a celebration held last night at the Shania Twain Centre. The total amount raised exceeded the campaign s target by more than $1 million. (RON GRECH The Daily Press)

In light of the current economic conditions, nobody would have predicted this.

The Give ... For the Health of It fundraising campaign for Timmins and District Hospital not only reached its $5 million target, it exceeded it by more than $1 million.

The total amount raised from the effort was more than $6.19 million.

The announcement was made at the end-of-campaign celebration held last night at the Shania Twain Centre.

Just prior to the announcement, Timmins Mayor Tom Laughren predicted to those in attendance they were going to be "astounded" by the total amount raised.

Asked how the campaign was able to surpass its fundraising goal, committee co-chairman Gabe Provost said, "We were very, very fortunate that we started the campaign about two-and-a-half years ago."

At the time when the campaign kicked off, gold prices were on a record high, mining was booming and Timmins seemed immune to the global economic crisis.

Provost said the campaign got off to a strong start thanks to a couple of mining companies who made big donations.

"You know, I didn't want to name names but I'm going to give you two of them: Goldcorp and Xstrata — $600,000, $550,000 in the first year," Provost told The Daily Press. "That gives you one heck of a boost, to do that amount of money with almost virtually the first two cheques that came in."

He said another huge boost came from the hospital auxiliary, comprised of local volunteers who had steadily raised money throughout the campaign. They ended up contributing $256,000.

The campaign was subsequently capped by another huge mining company donation.

One digit at a time, members of the Give ... For the Health of It! campaign revealed how much money two-and-a-half year effort raised for Timmins and District Hospital at a celebration held last night at the Shania Twain Centre. The total amount raised exceeded the campaign s target by more than $1 million. (RON GRECH The Daily Press)

In light of the current economic conditions, nobody would have predicted this.

The Give ... For the Health of It fundraising campaign for Timmins and District Hospital not only reached its $5 million target, it exceeded it by more than $1 million.

The total amount raised from the effort was more than $6.19 million.

The announcement was made at the end-of-campaign celebration held last night at the Shania Twain Centre.

Just prior to the announcement, Timmins Mayor Tom Laughren predicted to those in attendance they were going to be "astounded" by the total amount raised.

Asked how the campaign was able to surpass its fundraising goal, committee co-chairman Gabe Provost said, "We were very, very fortunate that we started the campaign about two-and-a-half years ago."

At the time when the campaign kicked off, gold prices were on a record high, mining was booming and Timmins seemed immune to the global economic crisis.

Provost said the campaign got off to a strong start thanks to a couple of mining companies who made big donations.

"You know, I didn't want to name names but I'm going to give you two of them: Goldcorp and Xstrata — $600,000, $550,000 in the first year," Provost told The Daily Press. "That gives you one heck of a boost, to do that amount of money with almost virtually the first two cheques that came in."

He said another huge boost came from the hospital auxiliary, comprised of local volunteers who had steadily raised money throughout the campaign. They ended up contributing $256,000.

The campaign was subsequently capped by another huge mining company donation.

"It's one which we haven't even announced yet — Lakeshore Gold — has donated $100,000 in the last week of our fundraising," said Provost. "So you've got a lot of heart. Timmins is the city with a heart of gold and it's proved it once more."

The money is being used to pay for the hospital's dialysis expansion, the mechanization of the operating room suites and to purchase new medical equipment.

Dave McGirr, who shared chairman duties with Provost, said the two-phase 12,000-square-foot expansion to the hospital will consolidate dialysis equipment and services at T&DH.

"Right now it's scattered throughout the hospital," he said.

McGirr said $800,000 from the fundraising effort was required to "leverage" a government grant to cover the $10-million project.

Allan Kean, hospital board chairman, said a lot of support for the campaign came not only from within Timmins but from communities throughout the region.

He listed a number of communities including Hearst, Kapuskasing, Attawapiskat, Peawanuck and Foleyet, saying they "all understand the need to support the hospital through its contributions."

Robert Perrault, Timmins and District Hospital Foundation board chairman, said credit for the fundraising success was shared by the volunteers and by those who contributed to it.

"Without you, I could not tell you our campaign was a success," said Perrault.

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