These are definitely exciting times for Penticton Regional Hospital and the entire community as the April 29 opening of the new David E. Kampe Tower approaches.
As a former reporter, I vividly recall the community-wide lobbying effort during the 2013 provincial election campaign that ultimately convinced the government to approve the $312-million PRH expansion project.
An integral part of that overall funding was the South Okanagan Similkameen (SOS) Medical Foundation’s commitment to raising $20 million to provide the medical equipment required. Now we’re into the home stretch, but still have $1.5 million left to go. We can reach our goal—with the community’s help. If you’ve been considering a donation and simply never gotten around to it, this is your chance to help us reach the top. If you’ve given in the past and can afford a bit more, that would be great. Or maybe convince your friends and other family members to consider a donation.
I was told when I joined the SOS Medical Foundation team four years ago that the tail end of any fundraising campaign can be the toughest part. Reaching the $20-million mark by the Tower opening would be a great way to celebrate!
Local Legion branches supporting PRH
Speaking of celebrating, we’re jumping up and down over the tremendous support recently received from Royal Canadian Legion branches throughout the South Okanagan Similkameen. First, the tiny Greenwood Legion wowed us with a $5,000 donation. This was followed by further donations from the Princeton and Keremeos branches—and then another $5,000 from the Penticton Branch 40. In total over four years, Legions throughout the area have now donated $88,000 to our PRH Tower campaign. Wow again!
House a physician in Penticton
One of the many benefits of the PRH upgrade is it helps attract more physicians to Penticton. However, many locums (who fill in for physicians on holiday or leave) and doctors looking to relocate here have encountered a housing crunch—especially for temporary accommodation until they can purchase a home. It’s particularly tough during the spring and summer.
Now the Penticton Physician Medical Society is launching a registry of available housing for visiting doctors. If you have a suite—or even a spare room in your home—that you wouldn’t mind renting out to a physician at a reasonable cost, please contact ppms@facilityengagement.ca.
Room naming opportunities in new tower
Again, as a former reporter, I know it’s not often the folks at city hall get thanked for their actions. But we must laud city council for its tremendous support for our Tower campaign. We just received a cheque for $8,655 from the fourth public auction sale of used sidewalk paver bricks removed during the downtown revitalization project. This brings the city’s total PRH brick sale donation since 2015 to $39,614. In particular, a warm thank you to Cathy Ingram, the city’s procurement and inventory manager, who co-ordinated the auction sales.
Meanwhile, the provincial government recently gave formal approval of the city’s suggested name “Meadowlark Room” for one of the 84 single-bed patient rooms in the new David E. Kampe Tower. These room-naming opportunities were available for donors of $30,000 or more. A few other naming opportunities—including some in the soon-to-be-upgraded Emergency Department for $25,000—are still open. Contact our office for details.
John Moorhouse is the development and communications officer for the South Okanagan Similkameen Medical Foundation. For information on donating, please call 250-492-9027 or visit the website sosmedical foundation.com.