A local business owner has made what is likely the most unique donation to the hospital in recent memory.
Owner of Quick ’n’ Easy Pawnbrokers and Roll ’n’ Stones Fun Centre Darren Hafftor came across some stolen hospital equipment after police had shown him an image during the search for the equipment that went missing in late May. The missing equipment was a slit lamp used for eye exams which was stolen from the Penticton Regional Hospital valued at approximately $6,000.
Hafftor was outside at the Roll ’n’ Stones Fun Centre about a week after the theft and heard customers talking about a man outside trying to sell binoculars.
“I thought, I’m going to go out there and see. You couldn’t see through (the equipment) and I thought this must be something. (The man) was trying to say it was some specialty thing,” Hafftor said. “I said ‘what do you want for these things,’ and we made a deal.”
He purchased the equipment from the man for $50 and gave it back to the PRH.
“I thought I would return them to the hospital to save the taxpayers of Penticton, try to get the money back in the community and make it happen. I guess it was the right piece and I donated it back to them. We’re trying to build our hospital bigger and don’t need people stealing stuff like that,” Hafftor said. “It made me feel good. I was born and raised in Penticton. When (Cpl. Don) Wrigglesworth told me they were $6,000 to replace I was really happy to get them back for cheap and get them back in the hospital working.”