The St. Paul & District Hospital Foundation is once again working hard to raise over $100,000 at its March 3 event.
The annual hospital foundation gala has a goal to raise $117,000, which will be used to purchase a variety of equipment for the St. Paul hospital.
On the foundation’s list this year is a bariatric bed, which accommodates larger patients comfortably and safely in Acute Care. The bed costs $45,000.
The foundation also hopes to purchase ultrasound probe cleaning equipment, which costs $28,307. This would replace current out-of-date equipment.
Also on the list is Holter monitor software. Having the software would eliminate the need to send the monitors away for downloading results, which then would results in cost-savings, and more patients could use the equipment if it didn’t have to be sent away. The software costs $13,995.
And the last item on this year’s list is bladder scanner worth $30,000. The scanner would replace aging equipment in the Emergency Room, used to assess urine flow and retention.
Tickets for the event are on sale, and as of late last week, were already a third sold. The response from the community is always impressive, “and the businesses are so generous,” says foundation president Noreen Brousseau.
Tickets can be purchased at the St. Paul hospital’s administration office, which is located inside the hospital. Entertainment at this year’s event is magician Sheldon Casavant, who has performed at the gala in the past.
“People were just begging to have him back,” says Brousseau.
Some of the items at this year’s fundraiser go around the “Battle of Alberta” theme, with Edmonton Oilers’ and Calgary Flames’ merchandise up for grabs.
Unique artwork will also be available. Local artist Kaela Starosielski has donated an original piece, and a local business has donated a Terry Trottier sculpture.
Board members continue to canvas the community, gathering support for the worthy cause. The board has also recently welcomed a few new faces to its board – former mayor Glenn Andersen; Sandie Lefebvre; and Ron Wirsta.
Overall, Brousseau says she would encourage people to attend the gala to show their support for not only the hospital, but also the patients who visit the facility, and the staff members who work there.
“It keeps our hospital functioning. It’s so important.”