The Haliburton Highlands Health Services Foundation contributed $464,142 to Highlands’ health care in its recent full year of operations.
With those funds, the hospital has purchased a portable digital X-ray machine, iPads for long-term care residents, completed a new website redesign, and made numerous COVID-19 capacity upgrades including hand-washing stations, automatic medication dispensing and additional beds, along with other upgrades.
“Not surprisingly given the generousity of our community, we received great acknowledgement and appreciation of our health-care professionals, and immediate support through many donations of COVID relief, including personal protective equipment (PPE),” wrote HHHS Foundation executive director Lisa Tompkins in an email. “And, we continue to be very grateful for the extraordinary generosity from permanent residents, seasonal residents, cottagers and visitors who helped the Foundation meet our fundraising goals in the past year.”
It’s also a milestone year for the foundation, which turns 25.
“I would like to acknowledge the 25 years of incredible support from the Foundation to build the service to what it is today,” said Carolyn Plummer, HHHS CEO, at the foundation’s annual general meeting Sept. 30.
Audit reports stable finances
Thomas Turnbull, of Grant Thornton LLP, congratulated board members on weathering a difficult year of pandemicstyle fundraising.
“Some kudos and applause need to go to management and the board to take this opportunity to manage discretionary expenses,” Turnbull said.
Many of the Foundation’s regular fundraising events were transposed into COVID-19-safe conditions. The summer’s Radiothon raised $33,670 for new Workstations on Wheels systems for an upcoming clinical information system upgrade. Last year’s Believe in the Magic of Giving campaign garnered $163,375. Monthly online lotteries have netted $32,764.
Tompkins said the most difficult part of the last year for her was working without volunteers, due to COVID-19 safety protocols. “We miss our volunteers,” Tompkins wrote. “A small organization like ours relies on the talent and expertise of volunteers in many aspects of our fundraising, and the Foundation has been blessed to have wonderful volunteers. We look forward to being able to work with them again soon.”
The Foundation also announced at its Sept. 30 meeting that David Zilstra and Steve Todd will be on the board until AGM 2025.
