BTHC Donation Conversation Exceeds Expectations

Written by Ronny Guenther/Dean Penner/Candace Derksen

The organization’s three-month long Donation Conversation campaign jumped well over its targeted goal of $150,000, raising a total of $176,000.

Officials with the Boundary Trails Health Centre Foundation wrapped up a very successful fundraiser this month.

The organization’s three-month long Donation Conversation campaign jumped well over its targeted goal of $150,000, raising a total of $176,000. Those funds will be used to support a number of programs and equipment purchases at the Boundary Trails Hospital.

Board chair Ben Friesen says the generous contributions from donors helped lift them well past their fundraising goal, but he also feels the three month campaign helped create greater awareness about the foundation and the programs itFunds will be used to support a number of programs and equipment purchases at the Boundary Trails Hospital. supports.

“We got the message out to a lot of people as to what the foundation does for the hospital, quite a lot of stuff that not everybody knows about. I think it was an actual donation conversation in which a lot of information was shared.”

The initiative was put together to help cover the funds that are normally raised through the foundation’s annual golf tournament and banquet; two events that were cancelled last year due to the pandemic.

A minimum of $100,000 from the money raised will be used for a variety of equipment needs at the health centre, while the rest of the cash will be used to deal with other needs that will likely arise, according to Friesen.

The foundation chair acknowledges how the pandemic has created challenges for charitable organizations to raise funds over the past year but is amazed at the giving spirit that exists in the community.

“A lot of my other friends in other charitable organizations say they are all doing very well … so, it’s a super good feeling to be living in this community where we have so many people that care and share. That’s what makes this community so great,” added Friesen.

Local Pastor, Larry Reimer, To Deliver Spiritual Care At BTHC

Written by Candace Derksen/Jayme Giesbrecht

“Every one is an individual and everybody deserves that individual care,” says Reimer.

Larry Reimer is no stranger to coming alongside people in crisis, and that is exactly what he plans to do in his new role as Spiritual Care Coordinator for Boundary Trails Health Centre (BTHC).

Reimer has served as a dean a MCI in Gretna, the director of Youth for Christ – The Station in Altona and most recently, a pastor in Winkler for the last two years.

“In alongside those things I built relationships with people that kind of always naturally navigate to a place of pastoral care…and so it just seems to be part of my life,” he explained. “I don’t know why I attract that kind of stuff. I think someone knows why and He is very good at what he does. I think the Lord is very conscientious in bringing about the best in us when he yield to him.”

Additionally, Reimer completed his spiritual care internship at BTHC and in the process walked alongside people who were facing life-changing and terminal diagnosis. He even did a funeral for one of the patients he supported.

“I think this is something no one is really equipped for unless you’re able to submit yourself to God in that moment to be able to help people. Every one is an individual and everybody deserves that individual care,” added Reimer.

Meantime, Reimer admits it was quite the journey for him to come in to a place of applying for the Spiritual Care Coordinator position.

Having starting pastoring at a church in Winkler just two years ago, he says some people might wonder why he’s making another move. However, Reimer is actually a trained chaplain and says it’s long been his heart’s desire to walk alongside people in that context.

“Even though it’s scary, I think any kind of situation when you’re thinking about medical conditions…they are very sensitive situations and they have to be approached with a lot of care and a lot of thoughtfulness, and I really want to bring that to the job at Boundary Trails. I want to be a part of the team there and be able to bring a wholeness to the care for the patients,” explained Reimer.

Not only is it his hope to be a regular support to patients, but also to the staff who he says are encountering an incredible and unexpectedly stressful time during COVID-19.

“Now we’re in it. How do we deal with it? How do we navigate forward?”, said Reimer who speaks from personal experience. He explained that his father has been in the hospital several times during this period and Reimer says he’s had to witness his mother go through the trying time of not being able to be at her husband’s side. “Seeing it firsthand really gives you a greater empathy for walking with other people,” he added.

Reimer admits though, not everyone he meets in this role will be familiar with Jesus’ teachings, the word of God or the comfort of prayer. However, he says his goal is to bring about healing in a person’s life and then, if anything comes from it, proceed from there.

“I approach everyone as a spiritual being just haven’t been awakened as of yet,” he explained. “Not that I’m out to convert everybody, although that’s my heart’s desire, I want to provide care for people because they are spiritual and I want to meet them where they’re at so they can discover maybe a newness in their life, and maybe a life and a vitality that they’ve never encountered before.”

Reimer starts his new job at BTHC on January 4, 2021.

Support Spiritual Care With the BTHC Foundation

Written by Candace Derksen/Jayme Giesbrecht

This last month of the effort highlights the Spiritual Care program at Boundary Trails Health Centre. Courtesy BTHC Foundation website

The Boundary Trails Health Centre Foundation is in to the final leg of its Donation Conversation.

The three month campaign is working to raise funds that normally would have come in during a number of regular fundraising events throughout the year, however many of those fundraisers had to be cancelled this year because of COVID-19.

This last month of the effort highlights the Spiritual Care program at Boundary Trails Health Centre located between Winkler and Morden. From services in the Chapel, to room visits for long-term patients, to active listening and prayer, the Spiritual Care Co-ordinator takes on a big role. And without the funds raised through the BTHC Foundation, it would not be possible to continue.

Pastor Randy Smart is Chair of the Spiritual Care Advisory Committee and he says the Province does not contribute to the program and as a result, it relies solely on donor support.

He explains the role of a spiritual care coordinator is to be a presence in the building and be available to individual patients throughout the hospital, including palliative care.

“And just the ongoing drama, if you like, of the realities of people when they are ill. They start thinking about ‘who am I?’ ‘what is happening to me?’ and they need perspective mentally and emotionally about things that are beyond our control,” said Smart. “The patients are dealing with those things, their families are dealing with those things and sometimes the staff who care for them find the load heavy as well, and so to have a pastoral presence in the building, someone who is known and trusted by staff and available to the patients, is very important.”

Recently, the committee hired Winkler pastor, Larry Reimer, to fill that role of spiritual care coordinator. His first day on the job will be January 4, 2021. Larry Reimer.

Not only is it his hope to be a regular support to patients, but also to the staff who he says are encountering an incredible and unexpectedly stressful time during COVID-19.

“Now we’re in it. How do we deal with it? How do we navigate forward?”, said Reimer who speaks from personal experience. He explained that his father has been in the hospital several times during this period and Reimer says he’s had to witness his mother go through the trying time of not being able to be at her husband’s side. “Seeing it firsthand really gives you a greater empathy for walking with other people,” he added.

Now that Reimer has been hired on to fill that coordinator role, Smart says the Board is examining how to better coordinate information between the institution and others in the caring community around it. For example, he says what happens in the case of someone coming in with mental health issues?

“How does the hospital deal with it? What are the things that we as part of the community around them can do to provide care?”

Local donors committed $35,000 in matching grants for the campaign this fall, helping to kickstart donations.

So far, $394,450 of the $420,000 goal has been raised.

“We all benefit from the generosity of the people in our community and we don’t always know when we are going to be one of those people in the hospital who needs that person coming alongside to encourage and strengthen us, or to meet and care for one of our family members or friends, and it’s nice to be investing now in a service that could one day be to our own benefit as well,” added Smart.

Click here to learn more.

Fall 50/50 Raffle

Celebrate 20 Years with the BTHC Foundation and End 2020 with 5 chances to WIN!

Thanks to the Winkler Coop@Home store we have some AMAZING Early Bird Prizes to give away. Final draw for half the Cash Pot is on December 31, 2020. For more info on the prizes and draws and to get your tickets…

Go to www.bthcfraffle.ca

Thank you for your continued support to help enhance healthcare services at Boundary Trails Health Centre.