SLMHC Foundation launching online 50/50 raffle
Tim Brody - Editor
The Sioux Lookout Meno Ya Win Health Centre Foundation (SLMHCF) is launching a monthly online 50/50 raffle beginning on Nov. 10.
The Foundation provides funds for equipment, staff training and capital building projects to the Sioux Lookout Meno Ya Win Health Centre. The Foundation relies on donations from the community to do so.
“SLMHCF is fortunate to have two groups planning events over the past 20 and 10 years, respectively: the Bearskin Airlines Charity Golf Tournament and the Bearskin Airlines Skip to Equip Curling Classic. Last year, the two events brought in approximately $130,000.00. Unfortunately, due to Covid 19, neither of these events will be held this year and the SLMHCs fundraising will be drastically reduced,” the Foundation shared in a news release.
“Many people don’t realize that the purchase of all equipment required for a hospital, from beds to CT scanners, is the responsibility of the hospital, not the provincial government. In the next five years, the Health Centre needs to replace all of its IV pumps (approximately 60); their CT scanner and their mammography unit. The approximate total cost of this equipment will be over $2.5 million, in addition to many other required pieces of equipment. SLMHCF will be running a full-fledged campaign for this equipment, however, funds from the 50/50 raffles will be needed, and much appreciated, to ensure the campaign’s success,” the Foundation explained.
“That’s why the Foundation is so important to the community and that’s why donations to the Foundation are so well used, because everything the foundation collects goes directly back into our hospital,” Foundation Chair Christine Hoey explained.
“The hospital comes to the Foundation at every meeting to let us know what’s going on with the hospital and its equipment and supplies and they have informed us that the CT scan has a shelf live, so within the next five years, we have to figure out how to raise enough money to replace it,” she continued.
The Foundation was inspired to try a 50/50 raffle by the Lake of the Woods District Hospital in Kenora.
“We found out Kenora’s hospital has been doing it through most of the summer. So we got in touch with their foundation and asked them the details and they were quite excited about it because it’s doing very well,” Hoey said.
“To support the Foundation by purchasing tickets, go to www.slmhc.on.ca/foundationdraw. You can visit the site as of November 4th, for FAQs and rules of play. Ticket prices are 3/$5, 10/$10 and 60/$20. The first draw will be held Thursday, December 10 at 11:00 a.m. Tickets can only be purchased online using Visa or MasterCard,” the Foundation’s news release informed.
“There’s no major fundraisers in 2020 at all and there may not be in 2021… so the funds that we give to the hospital for these projects and equipment are not going to be there if the Foundation board doesn’t do something,” Hoey commented.
Hoey said people can purchase as many tickets a month as they wish, “The chances of winning are way better than buying 6/49, so we thought this would be a really good thing and if we can get our whole area, all of the people who utilize our hospital on board with it, I think it’s a great thing.”
