A fundraising effort three years in the making has successfully been completed.
On Jan. 12, the Affinity Credit Union鈥檚 boardroom was filled with bustling energy as Hearthstone鈥檚 Community Campaign chair, Vern Buck, made the formal announcement regarding their campaign鈥檚 mission; a new nursing home in Estevan is no longer a matter of if, but a matter of when, because the required 20 per cent of the $40 million project had been raised.
鈥淭he generous people of Estevan and the surrounding area have themselves to congratulate for reaching the fundraising goal so quickly,鈥� Buck said about the $8 million in cash and pledges that were raised. 鈥淚t reflects the urgency of our need for a new facility.鈥�
The $8 million mark was broken just before Christmas.
Buck acknowledged the numerous acts of generosity that raised the $8 million, which ranged from money made from cutting grass, a quilt sale, a car auction and a canola crop spearheaded by Ray Frehlick and Red Head Equipment of Estevan.
As of now, a total of $8, 129, 000 has been raised.
Following a big thank you to all of the volunteers and members of the community who donated money and time to the project鈥檚 efforts, Buck turned his attention to Hearthstone Foundation president Don Kindopp.
鈥淗e did the work and I got the glory,鈥� Buck said. 鈥淚 couldn鈥檛 have done it without him.鈥�
Following the official announcement, Kindopp said that what happens next is going to be a challenge, despite the relief he currently feels surrounding the $8 million.
鈥淚 feel there is a great deal of pressure now to approach Sun Country and the government to make this happen,鈥� he said. 鈥淭he community feels like, 鈥榳ell, we donated the money and we want to see the new facility,鈥� and that鈥檚 a valid feeling.鈥�
Estevan鈥檚 Saskatchewan Party 小蓝视频, Doreen Eagles was on hand to congratulate everyone involved with the fundraising efforts. She said the need for a new nursing home is undeniable, and that despite her limited time left in office, she will ensure major steps in the planning process are made.
鈥淚 give you my commitment that I will do whatever I can to make this a reality and see the planning stages move forward,鈥� she said. 鈥淚鈥檓 certain my successor will continue on with it as well.鈥�
Much is still uncertain when it comes to what the new facility will look like and when the actual construction will begin, but Sun Country聽Health Region CEO,聽Marga聽Cugnet said she is confident that the existing plans for the new nursing home, which consists of several prominent additions to St. Joseph鈥檚 Hospital, will be taken into serious consideration.
鈥淚 think our board and the committee have considered the future location and though it hasn鈥檛 been formally approved, we鈥檙e leaning towards it 小蓝视频 a part of St. Joseph鈥檚 Hospital, so we鈥檒l be working closely with St. Joseph鈥檚 board as well,鈥� she said after the presentation.
Cugnet noted there鈥檚 a possibility of applying Lean methodology to the project.
鈥淲e have the chance to educate our staff and have them know it鈥檚 not just about the building, but how you manage and care for its residents,鈥� she said.
The CEO wasn鈥檛 surprised the $8 million was amassed in such a relatively short amount of time.
鈥淭his community has been very good at achieving their targets,鈥� she said, adding the Health Region had its ear to the ground and followed the fundraiser鈥檚 progress throughout the years.
