Almost a thousand local residents were swept off their feet this past weekend as the Bonnyville Health Foundation outdid itself once again in staging its 18th annual hospital gala.
Almost a thousand local residents were swept off their feet this past weekend as the Bonnyville Health Foundation outdid itself once again in staging its 18th annual hospital gala.
Transforming the Centennial Centre field house into a glitzy spread of fancy decor, the foundation treated locals to a 'Distinctly Diamond' evening on Saturday, raising over $205,000 for the Bonnyville Covenant Health Centre in the process.
Speaking to the Nouvelle last week following the gala, administrator at the local hospital Alex Smyl said he was delighted with how the night went, commending the community for once again coming together to raise funds for much-needed equipment at the facility.
"We're extremely pleased with how everything went - it was a fantastic night and really we're all just so thankful to be working here in Bonnyville," Smyl said. "It's such a wonderful (and generous) community."
The bulk of the funds from this year's gala will be going towards the purchase of a $250,000 Fluoroscopic C-Arm machine. The imaging device provides x-ray pictures for doctors and surgeons in the operating room and can be used in several different surgical fields including orthopedics, traumatology, vascular surgery and cardiology.
The hospital will also be pushing through the purchase of an ultrasound machine for diagnostic imaging and a bariatric bed for acute care.
"Purchasing this equipment is absolutely vital to us if we are to maintain, and in some areas enhance our services to the people we serve," Smyl noted.
Once again, longtime health foundation member Vic Sadlowski served as the evening's Master of Ceremonies and he kicked off proceedings with a bang, auctioning off local radio DJ Dustin Whitcomb to serve as one lucky resident's butler for the night, a move that raked in $2,200.
That auction well and truly got the money flowing, with several businesses and organizations operating or based in the Bonnyville area stepping up to collectively donate just shy of $82,000 to the foundation. Leading the way once again this year was CNRL's Wolf Lake Kirby Group, who followed up last year's $40,000 donation with $25,000 this year.
Cenovus Energy chipped in $10,000, with the Bonnyville Festival of Trees matching last year's $15,000 donation.
The Bonnyville Firefighters Association donated $12,900 collected at its annual pay night/Christmas party, while the Bonnyville Jr. A Pontiacs continued their tradition of giving, handing over $8,500 to the hospital. The Bonnyville 4-H Club gave $5,980, while the Bonnyville Sr. Pontiacs gave $3,000.
The live auction, conducted by auctioneer Marc Jubinville, brought in $58,000, with a flawless 1.01 carat diamond, a 14-foot Marlon Jon boat and three night fishing trip in British Columbia the top selling items, raking in nearly half of the live auction total.
With much of the region well and truly in purse-tightening mode thanks in large part to the dwindling price of oil, Smyl said he was taken aback by the generosity of the community. In speaking to locals in attendance, he said the general consensus was that this year's gala was the best one yet.
"The one thing we kept hearing all night long was just how beautiful everything was," Smyl said. "People told us we went over the top and that this was the best gala ever. One of the (new) doctors here in town said he wasn't sure what to expect heading in, but after walking through the door he told me he couldn't believe it. You just don't expect this from a small community."
With the hospital already having made plans to purchase the identified equipment, Smyl said local health care would be better now than ever before.
"This (gala) is the reason we're able to do what we do. Without it, we wouldn't have the specialized services, we wouldn't have the facility we have today," Smyl said.
He added, "Bonnyville isn't like any other community. Bonnyville is special. Year after year after year, people continue to give and continue to support (local health care in the region)."
