December 21, 2004 - by Darrell Cole

Support local charity
Pair of organizations need help surpassing annual campaign goals
In the coming weeks, a pair of important fundraisers will come to a conclusion and depending on how the public responds the Cumberland County Health Care Foundation and the United Way of Cumberland County will Hopefully meet or exceed their fundraising targets.

Started in early November, the foundation's seventh Light the Way Campaign is seeking to raise $65,000 to purchase much needed equipment for the Cumberland Regional Health Care Centre while the United Way's annual appeal is seeking to raise $140,000 to support its 11 member agencies.

Fortunately, Cumberland County has long had a reputation for its generosity and there always seems to be enough to go around. Still, it has to be a challenge for major organizations, such as the hospital foundation and the United Way, to meet their goals.

Fortunately, Cumberland County has long has a reputation for its generosity and there always see,s to be enough to go around. Still, it has to be a challenge for major organizations such as the hospital foundation and the United Way, to meet their goals.

While the United Way of Cumberland County has enjoyed a lot of success of late, following more than a decade of failing to meet its campaign targets, it is no doubt feeling the pinch this year and with just a couple of weeks remaining in its 2004 fundraising effort it is just short of its goal.

The Cumberland Health Care Foundation, on the other hand, has had a lot of success with its Light the Way Campaign and while it failed to achieve its goal last year it still managed to raise the most money ever. This year, with a month remaining the campaign is just over the $50,000 mark and remains confident it will reach the $65,000 mark to purchase a portable ultrasound unit for the maternal/child department, a pair of syringe drives for the palliative care and surgical departments and motility study equipment for use in diagnosing and treating digestive disorders.

While it gets tougher to give at Christmas because of the hustle and bustle and financial constraints surrounding purchasing gifts for under the tree, Cumberland County residents have come through in the past and here's hoping they will again this year. It's important to remember every cent raised by both organizations remains in the community through valuable programs and services and needed medical equipment.

For the hospital foundation, Light the Way allows it to continue its excellent record of purchasing equipment that helps attract physicians and specialists and allows residents to get medical services at home instead of traveling to Moncton, Truro or Halifax.

For the United Way, the annual campaign means it can continue to support the excellent work of its member agencies including the transition house, Victorian Order of Nurses, Amherst Day Care, St. John Ambulance, early intervention, family planning and so on. These are services delivered to residents in their communities.

As tough as it can be sometimes to find extra cash at Christmas time, please find a way to give and help these two vital organizations achieve their goals so they can continue delivering top notch service to residents from one end of Cumberland to the other.