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A Successful Operation Shaugn Best of Hot 105.5, second from left, and Ocean 100’s Gerard Murphy, second from right, join the PCH Foundation’s Managing Director Heather Matheson, right, andFinance Manager Lisa Schurman-Smith at the tail end of Operation Spare Change on Wednesday. Over the past month businesses from all over Summerside and beyond have been gathering spare change at their locations and the change will be brought to PCH on Wednesday to be combined for one great gift to provide medical equipment here at the hospital The Foundation would like to extend a huge thank you to all of the sponsors, the local businesses who participated, Hot 105.5 and Ocean 100 for coordinating and promoting the event and of course all of the wonderful donors who spared their change to make a change over the past 4 weeks. This has been a fantastic fundraiser and a wonderful way to tell people all about the good work that happens at Prince County Hospital every day. This year, the PCH Foundation needs to raise $2.5 million for medical equipment at PCH, $1.4 million of which is for a refitting of the three Operating Rooms. Donations can be made here at pchcare.com or by calling (902) … View full news story.
Zone 3 Lions Clubs Bet on PCH The five Lions Clubs in Zone 3 recently got together to support the ongoing medical equipment needs of the Prince County Hospital. The clubs from Malpeque Bay, Kensington, Hunter River, Cymbria and North Rustico held a casino night where their volunteer members ran table games for a good cause. The proceeds of $1,700 were presented to Heather Matheson, right, PCH Foundation Managing Director. Lions on hand included Gary Moon, second left, treasurer for the Cymbria Lions Club, Beverly Frizzell, second right, President of the Hunter River Lions Club, and Beverley Semple Secretary Treasurer from the Kensington Lions Club.
2016 Vital Signs Goal Surpassed! “Thanks to the successes of 2016 and our many loyal supporters, the Prince County Hospital Foundation has exceeded its goal of $887,800 and has been able to assist the hospital to purchase all of their greatest needs from the 2016 Vital Signs Equipment Campaign,” says Foundation Managing Director, Heather Matheson. “In our efforts to ensure this hospital is vibrant and viable for many years to come, we are incredibly fortunate to have the continued support of so many generous donors. It is their donations that keep PCH fully equipped in every department.” Whether it was a Hemodialysis Machine ($25,000), a Portable Fluoroscopy Unit ($250,000) for Diagnostic Imaging or a Vital Signs Machine ($5,000) needed in Medical/Palliative Care; each piece plays a vital role in caring for thousands of patients from all over PEI each year. “As a major acute care hospital on PEI, it is of the utmost importance that we continue to improve and replace the medical equipment at PCH. These items are not here for a rainy day- they are saving lives each and every day,” continued Matheson. “…and none of that is possible without our donors.” Included in the greatest needs list to be purchased from 2016 … View full news story.
Lights for Life 2016 Results December 7th, the skies lit up over the Prince County Hospital for the 22nd year. Lights for Life gathered a crowd of hundreds in front of PCH to watch the lighting ceremony, remember loved ones and honour those still with us. This annual Prince County Hospital Foundation fundraiser has raised over $3.2 million since it began in 1995; this year reaching $220,170. Throughout the month of November Lights for Life gifts are made to the PCH Foundation in memory and in honour of loved ones. Every gift has a dedication in honour or in memory of someone special and those dedications are gathered in a book that is handed out at the event. The gifts are represented by lights and displays placed on the outside of the hospital and on one special night each year, the lights are brought to life and will continue to be lit each night until December 31st. Every dollar raised supports the purchase of medical equipment at PCH. This brings the PCH Foundation closer to our goal of $887,800.00 for 2016. Gifts are accepted for Lights for Life until December 31st. Donations can be made at pchcare.com, by calling (902) 432-2547 or visiting the PCH … View full news story.
Lights for Life Event Notes On Wednesday evening December 7th at 6:30PM, all are invited to attend the 22nd annual Lights for Life ceremony at Prince County Hospital. Throughout the month of November, donations were accepted in honour and in memory of loved ones and those dedications were entered into a commemorative book that will be released at the event – free of charge. “So far we’ve received an incredible 2128 gifts to Lights for Life this year. After so many years, it never ceases to amaze us how much the community loves this event and this hospital,” remarked Managing Director Heather Matheson. Returning to the lighting display this year are the Grand Arch, the Snowflakes, the Toy Train, and the Nutcrackers, amongst many others. As always, the centerpiece of the display will be the Celebration Tree which has been refitted for 2016. The Credit Unions of Prince County are once again the presenting sponsors. Since 1995, Lights for Life has raised over $3 million to support new medical equipment. Gifts to Lights for Life can still be made until December 31st by calling the Foundation office at (902) 432-2547, donating securely online at www.pchcare.com, or you can visit the Foundation office in the … View full news story.
Banking on Lights for Life – Prince County Credit Unions Return as Sponsors 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 since 2008! As our largest sponsors, they ensure every dollar you donate goes directly to purchasing much needed medical equipment for the Prince County Hospital. Join the Credit Unions Wednesday night, December 7th at 6:30PM as we light up the sky in front of PCH! Thank you to our presenting sponsors, Prince County Credit Unions. Managers (L-R): Louis Shea (Tignish Credit Union), Alfred Arsenault (Évangéline-Central Credit Union), Sarah Millar (Consolidated Credit Union), and Marc LeClair (Malpeque Bay Credit Union) . Gifts to Lights for Life made before November 26th at noon wereentered in this year’s dedication book to be handed out at the lighting ceremony on December 7th at 6:30 pm.
Lighting Up the Airwaves Help us thank some sponsors! Today we’re thanking Gold Sponsors MBS Radio (Spud FM, Q93, CFCY)! Representing MBS Radio is Jordan Ellis and joining him is PCHF’s Lisa Schurman-Smith. Lights for Life wouldn’t certainly not be what it is today without the ongoing support of our local media!
Lights for Life is Big News! Help us thank a sponsor! Today we’re thanking Gold Sponsors Journal Pioneer ! Represented by Paul Ramsay, right, Director of Advertising with the Journal Pioneer and joining him is PCHF’s Bevan Woodacre. Lights for Life wouldn’t certainly not be what it is today without the ongoing support of our local media!
PEI Mutual Has Lights for Life Covered Help us thank a sponsor! Today we’re thanking Gold Sponsors PEI Mutual Insurance Company! Representing PEI Mutual is CEO Terry Shea and joining him is PCHF’s Managing Director, Heather Matheson. Lights for Life and PCH have enjoyed the support of PEI Mutual for a great number of years. Thank you so much for your continued support. This year, PEI Mutual not made their $5000.00 sponsorship, but they once again made an additional gift of $2,300.00 to dedicate the “Festive Wreath” that bears the name of the event!
Lighting the Way – Canadian Tire Summerside New owners of the Summerside Canadian Tire store Claude and Claudette Landry, second left and centre, have made a pledge to support their community through the PCH Foundation. This $2,500 sponsorship, accepted by PCH staff member and event supporter Paula MacDonald, left, will help to provide much needed lighting supplies for Lights for Life this year. The Landrys are joined by Store Manager Mary-Lynn Forrest, right, and General Manager Peter Cusack. Claude said of the donation, “Healthcare is a top priority for so many of us. We are happy to do our part in helping to make sure every dollar raised from Lights for Life can help provide such vital medical equipment for our hospital.”
Lights for Life 2016 Remembering Loved Ones The 22nd annual Lights for Life Celebration will be December 7th at the Prince County Hospital. This is your opportunity to remember the lives of loved ones you have lost and honour those who are still with us. “This event centres around remembering or honouring loved ones. Every dollar raised from Lights for Life supports the purchase of vital medical equipment for the patients of Prince County Hospital,” says Heather Matheson, Managing Director at the PCH Foundation. “The list of medical equipment needs at PCH is ever-growing; community support is more important than ever. Every dollars counts here at PCH Foundation and we are incredibly grateful to the Lights for Life donors for their support over the years.” Gift dedication amounts begin at $10.00 and all of the donations received before November 26th at noon will be entered into a dedication book that is distributed at the event. Currently, the PCH Foundation is at 75% of 2016 goal of $887,800. “This event remains an incredible help to the hospital – last year it raised over $224,000 and this year, we hope it will help us surpass … View full news story.
Grass Roots and Cowboy Boots Results September 12, 2016 An event like Grass Roots and Cowboy Boots cannot exist without the support of hundreds of people. Whether you purchased a ticket of volunteered to bus tables, you are integral to the success of this fundraiser. Because of you we raised $324,810.00 for medical equipment at PCH. This number includes the value of a beautiful Jeep Wrangler Sport that has now been donated to us TWICE (thanks to Summerside Chrysler Dodge and Ocean 100 & Hot 105.5!). The PCH Foundation would like to thank all of those who attended, purchased or donated auction items, the performers & guests, Summerside Firefighters Association, Summerside Western Capitals, Melanie Champion, our many volunteers, our sponsors, and Warren Ellis & family who organized and financed the event. Thank you all! (Photo: Auctioneer Allison Smith)
A Gray Matter PCH Foundation Treasurer Wayne Carew, left, and PCH Foundation President Sandy Rundle, second left, accept a $100,000 donation from the Gray Family Foundation represented by Darren Gray, right, Cory Gray, centre and father Wayne Gray. Late last year, the Gray family decided to sell their Vogue Optical locations, leaving with two generations of great memories and lasting customer relationships. Now that the Grays have moved on, they want to give back to those who have helped them so much. “We hope that this donation can truly make a difference in our communities through the PCH Foundation,” says Cory Gray. “The hospitals are something we all rely on at some point in our lives. We need to make sure we are there for them when they need help, so that they will be there for our families and friends in their times of need.” Having spent so many years in the eyecare field and given eyecare’s close association to the healthcare, they felt it only natural to thank PEI through gifts to healthcare initiatives. “For many years people from all over PEI were great supporters for Vogue Optical. We wanted to find a fitting way to thank our many customers from … View full news story.
A Matter of Life and Death: Vital Signs Appeal 2015 “Having a new CT Scan at Prince County Hospital is a matter of life and death.” That is the message that Gerard McCardle wants to pass along to the people of Prince Edward Island. “People need to know this should be a number one priority for all island residents.” This year the PCH Foundation must raise over $2.27 million for equipment including a new CT Scan machine valued at $1 million on its own. CT stands for Computed Tomography, commonly known as a CAT Scan. Gerard knows first hand the importance of having a fully operational CT Scan at Prince County Hospital (PCH). It has twice saved his life from rare medical abnormalities. While attending a meeting in 2007, Gerard was overcome with intense abdominal pain. He was rushed to PCH where, based on the information available, he was diagnosed and treated for a kidney stone. The pain subsided and all seemed fine. The pain returned that fall and Gerard was again admitted to PCH. It no longer seemed to be kidney stones, but there was no doubt of his pain. The location and intensity of the pain was perplexing as nothing showed on X-rays or blood tests. It wasn’t … View full news story.
My Personal Care Hospital Gordon MacFarlane On an ordinary day last winter, Gordon MacFarlane was in Pownal at a hockey tournament with his son, Matt. Before lunch he began to feel an all too familiar nausea, followed by intense pain. Leaving his son with another parent he began to make his way to Prince County Hospital (PCH). He called his mother in Stanley Bridge, saying he didn’t think he could make it home and would come there. He coasted into his mother’s driveway where she would find him slumped over the wheel of his car. She called an ambulance and he was rushed to PCH. Over the years, Gordon has had numerous surgeries as a result of the ulcerative colitis he’s had since age 15. The condition is an inflammatory bowel disease that causes long-lasting inflammation and ulcers and led to the removal of Gordon’s lower intestine over the course of two operations in 2003 and 2007 and replaced by stretching and expanding his small intestine. Those surgeries, coupled with a liver transplant performed in 2005, means that Gordon has significant scar tissue in his abdomen, strands of which occasionally attach to his small intestine, kinking it. The liver transplant has also meant a number of … View full news story.
2014 Equipment Appeal A Success After a year of dedicated efforts by many volunteers and staff, hundreds of donors and supporters, the Prince County Hospital Foundation’s Board of Directors is thrilled to announce that they reached their $1,250,453 goal in 2014. “This is a proud moment for us, for our donors and everyone involved in the campaign,” says Heather Matheson, Foundation managing director. “We couldn’t have done it without the commitment of a great many people. We thank all the donors and the volunteers who generously supported the ongoing needs of the Prince County Hospital and the patients it serves. It’s amazing what people can do when they come together with a shared goal.” Many factors contributed to the success of the Foundation in 2014, including the growth of its two largest fundraisers, Lights for Life and Grass Roots & Cowboy Boots. Grass Roots & Cowboy Boots, a lobster dinner with entertainment and a live auction, not only raised over $265,000 in cash donations for 2014, but also brought promises of some very large multi-year commitments from both the provincial government and ADL. Lights for Life also had a record year raising over $213,000 in its twentieth year. Matheson continued, “Memorial donations, special events, and … View full news story.
Seventh Annual PCH Foundation Women’s Golf Classic The seventh annual Prince County Hospital Foundation Women’s Golf Classic will take place on September 19th and will once again be hosted at sponsor course Red Sands in Clinton, PEI. Red Sands has hosted the event each year and continues to be an integral part of the event’s success. Darrell Doucette, Red Sands Events and Membership Coordinator, is shown making final preparations for Friday’s tee off. This year the event will support the purchase of bili-lights and bili-blankets, essential equipment for the treatment of newborns with jaundice at the Prince County Hospital. For more information about this event please contact the PCH Foundation office at info@pchcare.com or 432-2547.
10K Run for PCH Aug. 30 The 14th annual Friendship Run, organized by Dr. Michael Irvine, left, is a fundraising event for the Prince County Hospital Foundation’s Equipment Fund. Dr. Irvine is joined by PCH Foundation staff member, Kelly Arsenault, right. The run is scheduled for Saturday, August 30th and will start at the Wilmot Community Centre in Summerside at 9:00am. Registration is slated for 8:00am, and no pre-registration is required. The entry fee is $20 and covers registration and chip-timing by R2R that produces more accurate results and will decrease potential human error. The 10km route will take runners through a scenic loop in Summerside, including forested sections of the Rotary Friendship Park, and a part of the Confederation Trail. Summerside Source for Sports is the race sponsor. There will be free t-shirts for the first 100 runners. New running shoes will be presented to the top male and female finishers, there will be awards for various age groups and there will be refreshments at the finish line.
First Time Donor’s Super Credit For anyone new donors or those interested in becoming a firs tie donor, this may be of great interest. This program that came into effect in 2013 offers additional tax credits to first time donors. Here’s how it works: The FDSC offers an additional 25% tax credit on monetary donations up to $1,000 for eligible first-time donors. Who is eligible? If neither you nor your spouse or common-law partner has claimed the Charitable Donation Tax Credit in the past five years, you are eligible to claim the FDSC. Which donations are eligible? Monetary donations made after March 20, 2013 qualify for the FDSC. When can the FDSC be claimed? The FDSC can be claimed once between the 2013 and 2017 tax years. How can I earn over $500 in tax credits? For an eligible First-Time Donor’s monetary donation of $1,000, the following tax credits apply: First $200 of charitable donations claimed $200 x 15% = $30 Charitable donations claimed in excess of $200 $800 x 29% = $232 First-Time Donor’s Super Credit $1,000 x 25% = $250 Total FDSC and CDTC = $512 For more information check out: https://www.cra-arc.gc.ca/nwsrm/txtps/2013/tt131216-eng.html https://www.ativa.com/first-time-donors-tax-credit/ You may also find this article informative: https://www.theglobeandmail.com/globe-investor/personal-finance/taxes/first-time-charity-donors-should-check-rules-for-new-tax-credit/article17806027/ … View full news story.
Vital Signs Appeal 2014 Personal Care…Close to Home is the theme for this year’s Vital Signs appeal for the Prince County Hospital Foundation. The areas of greatest need at the Prince County Hospital (PCH) vary but each has one thing in common – they are essential to providing the quality health care that Islanders need. Many pieces of equipment that were purchased when the “new” PCH opened ten years ago are now in need of replacement or have already been replaced. In order to address the need for new technology and to keep pace with industry standards, the revitalization of the Diagnostic Imaging Unit (DI) at PCH began in 2013. Earlier this year, thanks to community donations in 2013, the unit was able to create a dual purpose room outfitted with a new portable x-ray unit, as well as a new fluoroscopy machine at cost of $770,000. This year, in order to provide the best care for patients, $1,250,453 is needed to equip the Prince County Hospital. This large goal again includes great needs in DI like the three ultrasound machines that were urgently needed and have been replaced at a cost of $510,000. “Most people would recognize this technology for its use during … View full news story.