NEWS RELEASE
ROYAL VICTORIA REGIONAL HEALTH CENTRE
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The presidents of the Rotary Clubs of Barrie, Barrie-Huronia and Kempenfelt gathered recently at Royal Victoria Regional Health Centre (RVH) to celebrate their latest combined pledge of $625,000 to the RVH Foundation’s Hearts and Minds campaign.
Supporting RVH is nothing new to Barrie’s Rotary Clubs – for as long as Rotary has been in Barrie, the service club has made local healthcare a priority.
As Rotary expanded and formed new clubs, the new organizations also reviewed local and international needs and made RVH a priority for local fundraising and hands-on support.
Janice Skot, RVH president and CEO, welcomed the club presidents and toured them through the future home of the Advanced Cardiac Centre at RVH.
“RVH owes a great deal to Rotary and to individual Rotarians,” says Skot. “Several Rotarians have been board members to both RVH and RVH Foundation and individual Rotarians have been some of our most generous supporters. In fact, support from the Rotary Clubs over the years has been instrumental in bringing new medical services to our region.”
Rotary Clubs throughout Simcoe and Muskoka donated more than $1.5 million to the “I Believe” campaign and these latest pledges will help bring advanced cardiac care and child and youth mental health closer to home for patients and families.
David McCullough, chair of the Hearts and Minds Campaign, a Rotarian himself, spoke to the importance of community support in purchasing equipment and expanding care.
“Medical technology is essential for great healthcare,” says McCullough. “Equipment costs are not provincially funded – they are completely the responsibility of the hospital and community and without the support of our donors, the latest in advanced technology would not exist at RVH. Our donors are the key to ensuring our staff and physicians have the best tools in their hands - the tools they need to deliver the advanced care that our community has come to expect from RVH.”
Rotary is a worldwide organization of business leaders that provides humanitarian service, encourages high ethical standards in all vocations and helps build goodwill and peace in the world.
The three Barrie clubs collectively have more than 300 members and each club supports projects locally, regionally and internationally.
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