Cumberland Health Care Foundation Dinner
- sparkles with $30,000 success
Funds support local health care careers bursary program
AMHERST, NS (May 3rd, 2011) – The 13th annual Dinner & Auction hosted by the Cumberland Health Care Foundation on Saturday, April 30th broke its own historical records by raising an approximate $30,000 in support of the Cumberland Health Care Bursary Program.
“We’re ecstatic that the event was sold out early on and that this year’s theme of “Putting on the Glitz!” was bought into by the attendees. There was a whole lot of sparkle in the audience that evening,” said Gwen Kerr, Chair of the Cumberland Health Care Foundation. The auction highlight was the sale of a quilt made by Dr. Celina White entitled “All Roads Lead to the Sea” with a winning bid of $2600 while dinner attendee, Bob Blenkhorn, won a pair of $1200 diamond earrings generously donated by Inglis Jewelers of Amherst.
Guests of the event were provided with an entertaining yet informative presentation on Emergency Rooms in Nova Scotia by Dr. John Ross. In September 2009, the Nova Scotia government appointed Dr. John Ross—a 20+ year veteran emergency physician—as its first provincial advisor on emergency care. Over the coming year, Dr. Ross visited or spoke with staff from every Emergency Department (ED) in the province. He talked with doctors, nurses, paramedics, and other healthcare workers; district health authority management and board members; community health boards; and civic leaders, citizen groups, and patients. The result of his work was a report entitled "The Patient Journey Through Emergency Care in Nova Scotia" which formed the basis for the government's plan to improve emergency care in the province "Better Care Sooner".
Designed to help fight shortages of skilled medical professionals in Cumberland County, the Cumberland Health Care Careers Bursary Program helps students financially achieve their dreams of a career in health care. To date 38 students have been accepted into the program of which 16 are now employed in the Cumberland Health Authority district, 17 are still within course study, and only five have withdrawn from the program and refunded the monies so as another student could take their place in the program. Three of the current recipients will be completing their studies and returning to work in the field of nursing in a Cumberland health care facility this year.
The Bursary Program provides an annual $5000 bursary to Cumberland County students attending post-secondary training for one of the identified critical areas such as nursing, laboratory, diagnostic imaging, physiotherapy and many others. It is jointly funded by the Cumberland Health Authority, the Cumberland Health Care Foundation, All Saints Community Health Care Foundation, Bayview Communities Health Foundation, South Cumberland Community Care Centre Foundation, and the North Cumberland Memorial Hospital Foundation.
“We have been fortunate,” continued Kerr, “that through the ongoing work of the Foundation that we have been able to solicit support for this key program from other external Foundations such as the Harrison McCain Foundation, a private family foundation, and the Johnson Scholarship Foundation. An additional $45,000 has been raised through those respective partnerships in the last year.” The 2011 deadline for applying for the bursary program is quickly approaching and applicants are encouraged to contact the local health authority at 661-1090 for additional information.
During the evening local chartered accountant Michael Hunter was awarded the Volunteer of the Year by the Cumberland Health Care Foundation for not only his past ten years of volunteer service with the Foundation but also for his ongoing volunteer work with the Foundation, Junior Achievers and sporting groups in the area.
(Foundation Chair, Gwen Kerr presents Michael Hunter the annual Volunteer of the Year Award as his wife Angela looks on).
This year the Foundation’s annual Distinguished Service Award was presented in two different categories of Corporate/Community Group and Individual. Mrs. Vicki Daley, a long-time behind the scenes supporter of the Foundation since its inception and an active member of the Cumberland Health Care Auxiliary was awarded the individual title for her many years of service to the Foundation, the Auxiliary, the local Rotary Club, the local band-parent organization, and other service groups. She gracefully acknowledged that her efforts in helping others were shaped over the years by the kind guidance of others in the community that shared this vision.
(Shown accepting the Individual Distinguished Service Award is Vicki Daley (centre), flanked by her spouse Blake on left, and on right, Gwen Kerr, Foundation Chair)
In the Corporate/Community Group category, a group of eight local businessmen known more informally as the “Good Lookin’ verses Better Lookin’ Curling Guys” were honored for their community commitment to raising funds for local programs and services through their annual curling bonspiel.
Approximately $60,000 has been raised since the group initiated the event in 2007. Their 2011 event raised $16,000 in joint support for the Foundation’s Palliative Care Fund and the local hospice organization. Prior proceeds have supported the Cumberland’s women shelter, local special Olympians, and the Cancer Assistance Fund of the Cumberland Health Care Foundation.
(Shown accepting their awards (left to right) are: Brian Wood, Don Smith, Mitch Estabrooks, Robert Bird, Stu Colson, Kurt Speight, Joe Dupuis, and Carl LeBlanc)
“It was a stellar evening,” continued Kerr, “we can’t thank the contributors enough whether they donated art, furniture or other items as well as the donors on the evening. We are certainly blessed for having bore witness to the kindness of not only those attending but those who were honored this year. We are, of course, very appreciative of the ongoing support of the arts and culture sector of Cumberland who enable this type of event to occur.” The regional hospital foundation was pleased to have Jost Vineyards as its special sponsor for the evening with Patterson Law holding the lead sponsor position.
www.pattersonlaw.ca
www.acgca.ca/index.php?/pdf/Nova-Scotia/mcisaac-darragh.pdf
www.amherst.ca
www.amherstdaily.com
www.inglisjewellers.ca
www.jostwine.com
- Alliance Vision Clinic (Springhill, NS)
- Amherst Pharmasave
- Atlantic Dance Academy (Amherst, NS)
- Atlantic Hotel Halifax
- Kay Ayres
- Basic Spirit Giftware (Pugwash, NS)
- Ethel Rose Blatch, Artist
- BMH Signs / Acadian Printing
- Donald Boyce, Artist
- Capitol Theatre Moncton
- Mark Casey, Photographer
- Charm Diamond Centre (Amherst, NS)
- Heber Colbourne, Artist
- Gil Collicott, Artist
- Arlene Collins, Artist
- Heather Cunningham, Artist
- The Cutting Room (Amherst, NS)
- Dairy Queen (Amherst, NS)
- Pat Dixon, Artist
- Harvey Dobson, Artist
- Deborah Emslie, Photographer
- F & K Computers (Amherst, NS)
- Fort B Flowers & Gifts (Amherst, NS)
- Michael Gaul, Photographer
- Gordon’s Ladies Wear (Amherst, NS)
- Morris Haugg, Crafts
- Hayseed Pottery, Crafts
- Darlene Hotchkis, Artist
- Timmi Howatt
- Jade Palace Restaurant (Amherst, NS)
- Jubilee Cottage Inn (Wallace, NS)
- Johnson Insurance
- George Klass (Photographer)
- Heather LeMoine, fabric artist
- Brian MacDonald, Crafts
- Percy MacDonald, Crafts
- Maltby Casey Investment Group (Amherst, NS)
- Diana McIsaac-Vertis, Artist
- Darlene Moore, Artist
- Joan E. Nichols, Artist
- Pugwash Home Hardware (Pugwash, NS)
- Rod Allen’s Used Cars & Trucks (Sackville, NB)
- Joyce Stevenson, Artist
- Scotsburn Dairy
- Ship’s Company Theatre (Parrsboro, NS)
- Joyce Stevenson
- Darlene Strong, Artist
- Taoist Tai Chi (Amherst, NS)
- Tidewater Books (Sackville, NB)
- Bert van Leeuwen, Artist
- John A. Warner, Photographer
- Margaret Wiles, Artist
- Dr. Celina White, Fabric Artist
- Indu Varma, Artist
Cumberland Health Care Careers
Bursary Program
The Cumberland Health Care Careers Bursary Program Fund provides an annual $5000 bursary to Cumberland County students attending post-secondary training for one of the identified critical areas which will be facing staff shortages in the coming years at Cumberland hospitals. Bursary applicants undergo screening for eligibility requirements and participate in an interview process as part of the application process. For each year the student is awarded the bursary the student then agrees to work an equivalent year within Cumberland County. During studies, the student is also guaranteed a summer job to further assist with funding for studies.
Currently in school: Hillary Atkinson (Amherst) Nursing; Christina Beaumont (Oxford) Respiratory Technician; Ashley Bourgeois (Amherst) Nursing; Julie Canning (Amherst) Nursing; Chelsea Cormier (Parrsboro) Nursing; Kelsea Gillis (Parrsboro) Nursing; Courtney Matthews (Pugwash) Radiology Technologist; Amy McCallum (Parrsboro) Diagnostic Medical Ultrasound Technologist; Amanda Millard (Springhill) Nursing; Emily Moore (Springhill) Nursing; Melanie Pashkowski (Wentworth) Nursing; Erin Reid (Amherst) Nursing; Lacey Rushton (Springhill) Nursing; Haley Stonehouse (Springhill) Nursing; Amber Terrio (Southampton) Nursing; Jessica Ward (Parrsboro) Nursing
Former recipients now employed by the local health Authority: Karen Chapman (Amherst) Cardiology Technologist; Pamela Chappell (Tidnish) Nursing; Charlene Cormier (Amherst) Licensed Practical Nursing ; Beth Drummond (Malagash) Licensed Practical Nursing; Kerri Gray (Amherst) Radiology Technologist; Sabrina Legere (Amherst) Nursing; Marsha Lucci (Amherst) Nursing; Ann Marie MacKenzie (Pugwash) Nursing; Megan MacLeod (Springhill) Radiology Technologist; Tracey (Hawkes) Mundle (Pugwash) Licensed Practical Nurse; Heather Porteous (Oxford) Nursing; Toni Reade (Oxford) Nursing; Megam Scopie (River Hebert) Laboratory Technologist; Lisa Stewart (Amherst) Nursing.
If you know of someone who may be interested or benefit from the Bursary Program, please have them contact the following to obtain information on how to apply please visit the Foundation website: http://www.chcfoundation.com/projects_bursary.html or call the health authority at 661-1090
