Due to inclement weather, the Board/Volunteer Christmas party scheduled for December 16th at the Summerside Golf and Country Club has been cancelled.

Each November for the past 19 years the Prince County Hospital Foundation has sent a mailing to its donors in hopes that they will be able to help others while remembering and honouring those they love.  And each December, the Foundation is astounded at the results of Lights for Life.  What began as a humble lighting ceremony in 1995 has grown to an event that kicks off the Christmas season in our County.  And the $30,000 raised in year one has grown to over $208,000 raised in 2013 alone.  Once again, it was the largest Lights for Life ever.  “The Foundation can only hope for such a wonderful response again in 2014 when we celebrate 20 years of ‘Remembering Someone You Love,” remarked Heather Matheson, PCH Foundation’s Managing Director. The Foundation could not hold Lights for Life without the continued support of the Prince County Hospital administration and staff, many volunteers, and of course the ever important sponsors.  The Foundation would like to thank the following sponsors for making Lights for Life such a success this year: Presenting Sponsors – the Credit Unions of Prince County (Consolidated, Évangéline-Central, Malpeque Bay, and Tignish); Gold Sponsors – MBS Radio (Q93, SPUD 102, … Continued

TONIGHT IS THE NIGHT!  Lights for LIfe will begin at PCH at 6:30PM.   There will be limited disability parking on site, but all others please park at the Superstore and Walmart.  Summerside Chrysler Dodge is providing shuttle vans for those who require them.  This service will be available between 5:45 and 6:15 PM.  They will return guests after the ceremony. There is no public parking on site other than staff, patients, event volunteers, and patient visitors. The MacEwen Rd entrance will otherwise be closed to general traffic  as directed by volunteers from the Summerside Lions Club and the Atlantic Police Academy Sheriff and Public Safety Officer students. LIMITED PARKING  Starting at 5:30PM, 50 parking spaces will be provided for the elderly and people with disabilities in the public parking lot. Vehicles must display valid disability parking tag or have occupants who are clearly elderly.  

The skies will light up over Prince County Hospital THURSDAY night, December 5th, 2013. The 19th Lights for Life ceremony takes place at 6:30 p.m. with its annual holiday light ceremony.  Each year light displays are dedicated in memory of a loved one, with all proceeds from the donations going toward equipment for the hospital.  The lighting ceremony is choreographed to music and is preceded by a performance from the PCH staff choir, along with hot chocolate, cider and cookies for spectators.  Parking is available at Wal-Mart and Superstore, while handicap spaces near the hospital will be made available beginning at 5:30 p.m.  Presented by the Credit Unions of Prince County, Lights for Life has raised over $2.2 Million for the hospital foundation since its inception.  Gifts can be made at the PCH Foundation office in the hospital, online at www.pchcare.com or by calling 432-2547.  Photos from previous events ca be found at facebook.com/PCHFoundation

Returning as Silver Sponsor for Lights for Life, EastLink Advertising provides much needed awareness for Lights for Life.  Through the donation of a television ad running on the Island TV Guide channel we are able to reach the entire province with our message “Remember Someone You Love.”  We are very thankful that EastLink is able to help Lights for Life now and in past years.  Their gift ensures that Lights for Life can offset costs and thereby ensure that 100% of the gifts the public makes in memory and honour of loved ones goes directly to the purchase of priority medical equipment.   Lights for Life Honourary Chair Jim Lockhart is joined by Bob MacLean of Eastlink Advertising

Blair Campbell, left, Corporate Secretary with PEI Mutual Insurance Company delivers a gift to Lights for Life honourary chair Jim Lockhart.    We are very thankful that the PEI Mutual Insurance Company is able to help Lights for Life as a Gold Sponsor now and in past years.  Their gift ensures that Lights for Life can offset costs and thereby ensure that 100% of the gifts the public makes in memory and honour of loved ones goes directly to the purchase of priority medical equipment

We are thrilled to announce that Park Hill Place has one again joined Lights for Life as a Gold Sponsor.  We are very thankful that the Park Hill Place is able to help Lights for Life this year.  Their gift ensures that Lights for Life can offset costs and thereby ensure that 100% of the gifts the public makes in memory and honour of loved ones goes directly to the purchase of priority medical equipment.   Pictured: Jim Lockhart, honourary Lights for Life Chair and Tanyia Kingyens, Park Hill Place owner.

Returning as Gold Sponsors for Lights for Life, these MBS radio stations provide much needed awareness for Lights for Life.  Through the donation of radio ads running through the month of November and on air “chats” we are able to reach the entire province with our message “Remember Someone You Love.”  We are very thankful that the MBS radio stations are able to help Lights for Life now and in past years.  Their gift ensures that Lights for Life can offset costs and thereby ensure that 100% of the gifts the public makes in memory and honour of loved ones goes directly to the purchase of priority medical equipment  Thanks to Q93, CFCY and Spud 102 FM!   Pictured: Corey Jeffery, left, of MBS Radio and Lights for Life Honourary Chair Jim Lockhart

The PCH Foundation would like to thank the Journal Pioneer for their ongoing support of Lights for Life. For many years, the Journal has been providing the PCH Foundation with the opportunity to publicize the event in their advertising.  This unwavering support truly allows the Foundation to reach thousands of Islanders with the Lights for Life message… “Remember Someone You Love,” as the fundraiser runs throughout November.  As a Gold Sponsor, the Journal Pioneer helps to ensure that every dollar raised though Lights for Life can be used for medical equipment. Paul Ramsay, left, Director of Advertising with the Journal Pioneer and Jim Lockhart, Lights for Life Volunteer Chair  

Lights for Life would not be possible without the support of our many valued sponsors. Thank you to the Credit Unions in Prince County for presenting Lights for Life in 2013. We are thrilled to say they have signed on as the presenting sponsors through 2017! Join the Credit Unions Wenesday night, December 4th at 6:30PM as we light up the sky in front of PCH!

This year’s ‘Lights for Life’ campaign is underway !.  On Wednesday evening December 4th at 6:30PM, all are invited to attend the 19th annual “Lights for Life” event at Prince County Hospital. As always, the community will come together to remember loved ones and celebrate the coming holiday season. When donors dedicate a light or display, in honour or in memory of someone special, they help purchase the medical equipment needed at the PCH.  All of the donations received before November 23rd at noon will be entered into a dedication book that is distributed at the event on December 4th. “Lights for Life is truly the kick off to the holiday season,” says Heather Matheson, PCH Foundation’s Managing Director.  “It is a great opportunity to remember or honour a loved one at this time of year and all of the funds raised support the purchase of vital integral medical equipment for the patients at the Prince County Hospital.  We are incredibly grateful for the support of the Lights for Life donors over these past 19 years.  And this year, during our largest campaign goal to date, their support is more important than ever.”  The event remains a tremendous help to … Continued

We are finalists! Thanks to all who voted we are in the top 3 for our category in the Greater Summerside Chamber of Commerce’s Business Excellence Awards. Best of luck to our fellow finalists in the Community Impact category. See you at the gala on October 9th!

In case you missed it last week… we were nominated for a Greater Summerside Chamber of Commerce Business Excellence Award!!!!!!  We are nominated in the Community Impact Award Category.  You can check out our profile at https://www.chamber.summerside.ca/beacomm.php Chamber members can vote via email link sent by GSCC last week.

Each year for the Vital Signs Annual Equipment Campaign, a list of priority medical equipment is identified and approved by the Medical Advisory Board.  This year the list of medical equipment totals $1,308,345. Because the Prince County Hospital requires this new equipment to continue providing quality care to Islanders, the hospital foundation will need the help of the communities PCH serves. This is the largest annual campaign goal in Foundation history. Diagnostic Imaging (DI) services accounts for $770,000 of the total equipment this year. DI will be replacing the current X-Ray / Fluoroscopy unit with a new digital dual purpose room utilized for special procedures and general X-Ray. Fluoroscopy is an imaging technique that uses X-rays to obtain real-time moving images of the internal structures of a patient and played on a monitor like an X-Ray movie.  From Surgical Services to the Maternal Child Care Unit, each department of PCH relies on DI to provide them with a window into what may be ailing a patient using X-Ray, Fluoroscopy, CT Scan and Mammography, among other services. Though a major factor in this year’s campaign, DI only represents a portion of the medical equipment on this year’s list.  From life saving … Continued

Supporters and interested parties are invited to attend the Annual General Meeting of the Prince County Hospital Foundation.  At this meeting the year 2012 will be reviewed in brief, the funds raised will be officially presented to PCH  and the new “Legacy of Caring Endowment Fund Donor Wall will be unveiled.    Light refreshments will be served at the unveiling.   May 15 7pm PCH Cafeterai

The date for the Community Information Session regarding the new changes to healthcare “Better Access Better Care” on PEI with Dr. Richard Wedge, Interim CEO of Health PEI, and Hon. Doug Currie, Minister of Health, is now scheduled for Wednesday, May 1st from 7:00pm to 9:00pm at Three Oaks Senior High Cafeteria.

Gordon Coffin, second from left, is welcomed in as the new President of the Prince County Hospital Foundation by Past President Bill Thompson, third from left. Coffin and Thompson are flanked by Board Executive members Sandy Rundle, Vice President, left; Heather Matheson, Managing Director, right; and Wayne Carew, treasurer, second from right.   Mr. Coffin has been a board member since 2003, having served in various executive roles as well as the head of several committees.   Says President Coffin, “Over the course of my presidency, the PCH Foundation will be facing some challenging, but exciting campaigns that will only improve our hospital.  I look forward to leading our team over the next 3 years and to the challenges ahead.  I am confident in our caring communities and their support of the Prince County Hospital Foundation, our hospital, and the patients it serves.”

  Over the century the Prince County Hospital has been open, many things have changed. The one thing that never wavers is the community’s unmitigated support of their hospital. “Thanks to the continued generosity of our caring communities, the Prince County Hospital Foundation was able to raise $1,036,324 for medical equipment at our hospital last year,” Heather Matheson, Managing Director for the Prince County Hospital Foundation.  She continued, “Many factors play into such a successful campaign. Memorial donations, special events, and mailout appeals all play significant roles in providing medical equipment for the Prince County Hospital. There are no government dollars for such equipment. All of the equipment from the 2012 campaign will be purchased with gifts made by the community throughout the year. Every dollar counts.” A great deal of the success from last year stems from growth. Fundraisers such as Lights for Life and Grass Roots and Cowboy Boots saw their largest dollars raised. Not to mention that Grass Roots and Cowboy Boots also garnered a large multi-year pledge from Robert Irving and Cavendish Farms of $250,000, set to begin in 2013. Multi-year pledges made by businesses and individuals are key to the long term fundraising goals of … Continued

From the desk of the Harbourfront Players…   The cast of Calendar Girls is busily preparing for their opening night performance Friday February 8 at 7:30 p.m. At the same time, we are watching the weather forecast for the following day, and, in anticipation of the coming snowstorm, we have decided to reschedule the Saturday, February 9, 7:30 p.m. performance to Sunday, February 17 for a matinee performance at 2:00 p.m. Evening performances on Feb 14, 15 and 16 will go ahead as scheduled. If you have tickets for Saturday Feb 9 you are on our list and will be getting a phone call from our box office so that you can select an alternate date and time to attend.

  We had the opportunity to watch the Harbourfront Theatre Players rehearse last week for the upcoming play Calendar Girls! Actors Vernon Campbell, centre, Sara McCarthy, left, and Stephanie Betts are part of the phenomenal cast set to take the stage on February 8, 9, 14, 15 and 16th. Tickets are on sale now at the Harbourfront Theatre and a portion of proceeds will support the PCH Foundation’s equipment fund. Seats are $20.   https://www.harbourfronttheatre.com/calgirls.html