By Sue Tiffin
Published Oct. 4 2017
Lisa Tompkins executive director of the Haliburton Highlands Health Services Foundation thanks the community for raising $925255 in donations for health services in 2016-2017.
“We are so fortunate to have such a generous and giving community – in recognizing the importance of having quality health services and supportive of our efforts to raise funds for needed priority equipment and capital campaigns” she told the Echo. “The recent Haliburton Highlands Palliative Centre campaign – one that contributed strongly to funds raised in 2016/17 and which concluded this past May – is an example of the tremendous support received from so many.”
The 2016-2017 auditor’s report was presented at HHHSF’s annual general meeting on Sept. 25 the first for Tompkins after the retirement of longtime executive director Dale Walker.
“The foundation continued to show a consistent level of giving for 2016/17 with growth in most of our core events” said Tompkins. “We are pleased to note that our auditors advised we had a clean audit report.”
Almost $566000 was invested back into the community in the form of purchases such as infection control rooms and wheelchairs and cushions in both Haliburton and Minden a gazebo at Highland Wood in Haliburton and bariatric commodes and bed alarms in Minden facilities. The Haliburton Highlands Palliative Centre was also constructed and is in use.
Money was raised through events that included $53000 through last year’s Matt Duchene Charity Golf Classic $25000 through the radiothon held in September 2016 $108000 through the foundation’s Making Moments Matter campaign and almost $35000 through the 2016/2017 Cash for Care Lottery.
Events in the community that included Curl for Care a February 2017 event sealed bid art auctions and an annual stuffed animal program made a difference to the foundation as did the work of volunteers through the hospital auxiliaries.
“Both the Minden and Haliburton Hospital Auxiliaries are very important to the success and health of the HHHS and make significant contributions through the work of the many volunteers and funds raised from their various events” said Tompkins. “And their gift shops are great treasures worthy of a visit.”
Tompkins said general funds raised have been consistent over the past few years.
“Variances can be due to amounts received in the category of special gifts which includes bequests which understandably cannot always be forecast” she said. “2016/17 was such a year.”
