Published: Sunday, 26 September 2021 06:00 Written by Robyn Wiebe/Ronny Guenther
BTHC Foundation Chair Ben Friesen, “With the Donation Conversations we’ve been able to make the public more aware of what the Foundation actually, and how important it is for the hospital that the Foundation continues to operate.”
The second Donation Conversation in support of the Boundary Trails Health Centre Foundation (BTHCF) officially launched Friday. BTHCF Board Chair, Ben Friesen says, in the past, community support has been fantastic, and it has allowed them to be able to add so much to the Boundary Trails Health Centre(BTHC).
“The community support is great, and always has been great in the Morden, Winkler (and) Southern Manitoba area. We have some local businesses that are always, always helping out. We always talk about ‘shop local’, and I’m just 100% in favour of that because most of the community does not know how much the local businesses support a lot of different things, not only the Foundation, but there’s a lot of different areas the local businesses really support.”
This year, BTHCF hopes to raise $150,000 to go towards the costs of three areas in Boundary Trails Health Centre, specialized equipment, as well as the Palliative and Spiritual Care Programs.
“There would still be Palliative Care,” Friesen shares, “But with the Foundation contributing the two extra nursing staff, 100% paid for by the Foundation, the rooms are furnished by the Foundation, giving a more comfortable family involvement at end of life, for a lot of the patients, The rooms have a recliner where people can stay in overnight and TV’s, and things like that, for family to be at. Spiritual Care has been really important this last year. With COVID, the local Pastors haven’t been able to make the normal visitation to their members, so this way our Chaplain has been able to look after that area, And then, the equipment.” Friesen adds. They have the regular healthcare equipment, “But it’s that little extra thing. Sometimes the doctors say, ‘Man if we had this, we can make the patient care that much better if we just had some little small item.’ That way we can help to contribute to that, and in that way, I think, we just make the care more comfortable for the patients throughout the year.”
Friesen says several local businesses have stepped forward to be Gold Sponsors matching the first $35,000 in donations to this year’s Conversation. This means every donation can make a difference.
“Not only the businesses, the local community, the general public, with the Donation Conversations we’ve been able to make the public more aware of what the Foundation actually is, and how important it is for the hospital the Foundation continues to operate. So anybody that goes to our Conversation Donation page, and just plunks in and donates $5 really makes a great difference, and this community always comes together.”
Friesen expressed gratitude for those joining the Donation Conversation.
“And we’re really thankful for the support we get from the community for the hospital and for the Foundation.”
The Donation Conversation will continue over the next few months. To learn more, click on the Donation Conversation page for Boundary Trails Health Centre Foundation.
