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Brockville General Hospital |
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News Release |
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NEWS RELEASE
FOR
IMMEDIATE RELEASE ‘We’re thrilled’ Hospital foundation appeal reaches almost $170,000 – exceeding goal BROCKVILLE – It is the moment that all fundraisers savour, and this time it’s especially sweet. The Brockville and District Hospital Foundation volunteers and staff are celebrating after they not only reached but exceeded their goal for the annual appeal. Executive Director Joan McLaughlin announced Thursday, Dec. 17 that the appeal raised $169,500, or 126 per cent of its goal of $135,000 to purchase a new microscope for eye surgery. That’s almost $35,000 over the top. She said the extra funding will be used for other ophthalmologic equipment, so all the money will be used as donors intended. “We’re thrilled,” Ms. McLaughlin said. “This shows the generosity of a very giving community.” This week, the Brockville Lions Club gave $35,000, the largest single donation toward the appeal. “The Lions are proud to donate toward the microscope,” said club President Sean Seabrook. “The Lions are the knights of the blind. We try to associate with projects involving sight and hearing.” In 1925, Helen Keller, who was blind and deaf, attended the Lions Clubs International Convention and challenged Lions to become “knights of the blind in the crusade against darkness,” according to the Lions Clubs International website. Mr. Seabrook said the Brockville Lions also collect used eyeglasses to send to developing countries and conduct vision testing in schools. “As soon as we found out that the hospital appeal was for an eye surgery microscope, there was no doubt at all that we wanted to be involved,” the club president said. Ted and Sally Hughes, Brockville Lions Club members, also made a personal donation of $5,000, and the Brockville Lionesses gave $500. The appeal total also includes another $200 from Bryson Bangma, a six-year-old who received donations from many Mallorytown-area people for the appeal after donating his tooth-fairy money and other funds he had collected from family. “All the donors have been very generous. It’s heart-warming to raise this amount at this time of year, at Christmastime,” commented Mrs. McLaughlin. “The new microscope will really benefit the community. Many people know someone who needs cataract surgery, and the new ophthalmologic microscope will help their loved ones in the future.” Ophthalmologists Dr. Ardis Lindsay and Dr. Sam Stevens perform more than 1,300 cataract surgeries each year at BGH. A new, state-of-the-art microscope will allow the surgeons to visualize the eye with more definition and contrast.
The Brockville Lions Club donated $35,000 toward the Brockville and District Hospital Foundation’s annual appeal for an eye surgery microscope, bringing the total to almost $170,000. From left: Club First Vice-President Ross Brown, President Sean Seabrook, Foundation Fundraising Chair Doris Hallett and Foundation Executive Director Joan McLaughlin. Photo: Christine Endicott/BGH For more information, please contact: Christine
Endicott
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