A cheque for over $18,000 was passed from one health care organization to another, much to the delight of the recipient, the St. Paul & District Hospital Foundation.
For a number of years, the St. Paul and District Ambulance Service Society had an account set up to accept donations to help purchase needed medical equipment for the ambulance service. A large portion of the money was raised through the pancake breakfast held during rodeo week.
Staff from the Co-op and ambulance service volunteered their time at these breakfasts. Memorial donations were also directed to this same account from families who had lost loved ones.
When the ambulance society ceased to be the service provider for the area, and Alberta Health Services contracted Prairie EMS, there was a surplus left in the account.
“The board of directors of the ambulance society felt that the money should remain in the community where it was raised,” said Cliff Martin, a long-time board chair of the St. Paul ambulance society. “To that end, it was decided that the best place for it was to go to the St. Paul Hospital Foundation since their mandate was to raise money for medical equipment also.”
“We are very honoured to be able to receive this,” said Linda Kryzanowski, chair of the Hospital Foundation. She admits that when Martin initially told her the amount of money left in the account, and told her the society wanted to pass it on to the hospital foundation, she was speechless.
The hospital foundation will not find a piece of equipment on its lengthy wish list to purchase specifically with this donation, she said. Then, those who were involved with the ambulance society can see exactly where the money went.
The donation comes just after a successful annual hospital foundation fundraiser took place on March 5. An exact total on funds raised, after all the expenses are paid, is not yet available.
