Positive and successful year, AGM told The Annual General Meeting of The Health Foundation of East Central Saskatchewan, Inc. was held May 21, 2009. Following is the report presented by the Board Co-Chair, Evan Ortynsky, outlining the work and successes over the past year. The other Co-Chair is Adelyne Bobowski. It is my pleasure to report to the annual general meeting of The Health Foundation of East Central Saskatchewan, Inc., that 2008 was a very positive and successful year. For us, that means we were able to successfully enhance the healthcare available to the residents of east central Saskatchewan. I am going to highlight some of the accomplishments of the past year, but first I wish to extend my appreciation to my fellow board members for the time and energy you invest in the work of The Health Foundation. The work that you do has made a difference in the lives of many our friends, neighbours and fellow community members throughout Sunrise Health Region. We are the only Foundation, or fundraising agency, that raises funds for the whole of Sunrise Health Region. There are other foundations or auxiliaries, but they raise funds for their particular community. Our work benefits residents of Preeceville, or Esterhazy or Melville as much as it does the residents of Yorkton. Secondly, I want to extend our thanks to our staff - Debbie and Ross - and also our accountant, Don Bruner. On behalf of the board, on behalf of the thousands of people who experience better healthcare as a result of their efforts - a very sincere thank you. In 12 years The Health Foundation has raised just over $12 million and over 83% of that money has been invested back into medical equipment or facilities. $10 million is actually a very large amount of money for our area. We have been able to raise those funds for two reasons: - We conduct fundraising campaigns for projects that will make a difference to our local healthcare, and that people can see will be a benefit to a lot of people. People respond to that;
- We like to think that the other reason people support The Health Foundations work is that they see the results right away. When people see the CT Scan, or the new digital mammography machine up and working shortly after they make a donation - they know their donation went were it was supposed to, and that there is new equipment that will make a real difference at work.
- The medical equipment we purchase has clear benefits for everyone in Sunrise health Region:
- We have improved our doctors' ability to diagnose medical conditions
- Lives have been saved because of earlier detection and treatment
- There are now just over 10,000 examinations or procedures done on equipment purchased by The Health Foundation. Before we purchased that equipment our residents had to travel to Regina or Saskatoon for those services.
- Our residents do not have to go to Regina or Saskatoon for medical tests or treatment nearly as often as they used to.
- Many services are now faster and more efficient
- Our ability to attract and retain medical staff has improved
- I think we all like to know we have contributed, and have been part of making our area a better place to live.
The Health Foundation had a very successful year in 2008, raising $927,433 in donations. Those funds in turn were invested back into medical equipment and education funds for Sunrise Health Region staff. The following are highlights of those investments made to our healthcare in 2008: - $260,000 was invested into equipment for a cardiac program at the Yorkton Regional Health Centre, including and echocardiogram machine and an arrhythmia monitoring system.
- $83,500 was raised to purchase state-of-the-art cardiac monitoring and defibrillation systems for Sunrise Health Region ambulances.
- As well, $148,164 in new medical equipment was purchased for the 16 healthcare facilities in Sunrise Health Region.
- This past year The Health Foundation awarded $24,039 in scholarships and education awards to Sunrise Health Region employees to further their education and clinical skills.
- Since the education program started 157 awards totaling $156,431 have been granted.
Over 80% of the gross funds raised by The Health Foundation this past year were once again invested back into medical equipment or education. We pride ourselves on being extremely efficient and using the contributions that are made to us as they are supposed to be used. The Health Foundation, with the valuable assistance of many community and corporate volunteers, received nearly $100,000 from our special events: The Charity Golf Classic and A Gala Night of Celebration. In 2008 The Health Foundation processed 6,317 tax-receipted contributions from generous donors. In addition we processed hundreds of donations and sponsorships that are not issued a receipt for income tax purposes. 2008 was the fourth year for The Health Foundations $100,000 cash lottery and ticket sales have increased each year, with a profit of $35,000 realized last year. This morning we one Director allowing his name to stand for re-election for another three year term, he is Mr. Jim Rediger, of Canora. He is CEO of Crossroads Credit Union. Mr. Rediger is also allowing his name to stand for the position of Treasurer. We have one nomination for a new director to the Board of The Health Foundation, Mr. Kim Sapara of Yorkton. Mr. Sapara is with Wellington West Investments. We have two Directors, Ms. Vivianne Minken (above left) and Mr. Kevin Lukey (above right), that are leaving the board as they have finished their terms of service. It has been a pleasure to work with Vivianne and Kevin. Much has been accomplished over the last 6 years, with many new services now offered that were not here six years ago. I would like to acknowledge the work of the other volunteer directors for their work and dedication to healthcare - Maxine Woodward, Ruth Hahn, Jim Rediger, Don Hood, Gerry Peppler, Betty Michaels, and Lorne Kopelchuk - and their continuing effort and support on the board. I would also like to acknowledge and thank Joe Kirwan, CEO of Sunrise Health Region and Patti Hack, for there service on The Health Foundation board. Joe and Janet are on our board as appointees from the Board of the Sunrise Regional Health Authority. There presence on our board ensures strong communication with Sunrise Health Region. We look forward to having your drive and dedication leading The Health Foundation in its quest to enhance healthcare in our communities. In 2008, approximately 140 individuals served as volunteers: either working at the Gift Shoppe in the Regional Hospital, or on one of the many committees of The Health Foundation. It is important to remember, The Health Foundation is not actually part of Sunrise Health Region, we are an independent community organization, managed by a volunteer board, and receive no government funding. The Health Foundation has only two full-time staff. Without the thousands of hours of time our volunteers put in, none of our accomplishments would be possible. Thank you. Most of all I extend a sincere thank you to our donors. Their belief in the work of The Health Foundation and the need to improve the healthcare in our communities resulted in $927,000 being raised last year. It has been an honour to serve as the Co-Chair of the board of The Health Foundation, and I thank you for that. The Health Foundation The Health Foundation of East Central Saskatchewan Inc. is a not-for-profit corporation registered with the Government of Saskatchewan, Department of Justice Corporations Branch. The provincial corporation registration number is 21255. The corporation is also registered as a non-profit charity with the Canada Customs and Revenue Agency of the Government of Canada, and has been issued the registered charity number 88681 4698 RR0001. It receives no money from government, and operates independent from government and from the health region. Its only source of funds is the generous individuals both in and outside the region who want to help ensure that we can all receive the best possible acute and long-term health care. The purpose and work of The Health Foundation The Health Foundation of East Central Saskatchewan accepts donations, bequests, and gifts from far and wide, and encourages and conducts a variety of community-based fundraising activities. The Health Foundation's mission is to support the equipment requirements, programs and services of health care facilities within the Sunrise Health Region. Donations are received from individuals, from memorial tributes, from estates and other planned giving programs, from clubs and organizations, from corporations, and from The Health Foundation's own activities. The Health Foundation also operates the gift shop at the Regional Health Centre in Yorkton, staffed by a dedicated group of volunteers. Our prime responsibility is to the donors who support the work of The Health Foundation. The wishes of donors regarding the use of their donation is respected. Donors may specify in which community, or for which facility the donation is to be used. The specific requirement is noted on the receipt, and our auditor verifies that the donation is used only for the purpose indicated. For the convenience of our donors, donations are accepted at any of the care facilities in the health region. A temporary receipt will be provided at the time, and a permanent receipt will then be issued by The Health Foundation. Vision To be the leaders in continuously improving and expanding the quality of healthcare and medical services in east central Saskatchewan. Mission To work in partnership with donors, the community, healthcare providers and government to raise and invest funds in capital and educational initiatives that will enhance healthcare services for our health region. Values Success will be achieved through our ability to inspire and facilitate individuals, businesses, community organizations and governments to come together to improve the lives of residents in east central Saskatchewan by enhancing their local healthcare. Appreciation
to value or regard highly; to be grateful or thankful for
We will conduct ourselves in a manner that will demonstrate our respect and appreciation for our donors, our volunteers and our partners in the community who help us achieve our goals. Accountability
an obligation or willingness to accept responsibility or to account for one's actions
Our operations will be efficient and transparent so that the community benefit of each donation can be maximized. Leadership
the act of guiding; of setting direction
We are leaders in the improvement of health care. We will bring together donors of all walks of life to identify and fund mutually acceptable projects. Integrity
firm adherence to a high standard of conduct and a code of ethics
Our reputation in the community is our most important asset, and as such we will conduct our operations in a manner that continues to inspire the confidence and trust of the community. Teamwork
cooperative effort by the members of a group or team to achieve a common goal
We work together to encourage, participate and achieve common goals. History of The Health Foundation The Health Foundation was first established in the mid-1990s, along with the new health districts throughout Saskatchewan. Up until that time, each hospital, health care and long-term care facility in the district had its own fundraising programs. In April of 1997, The East Central District Health Board Foundation, Inc. was incorporated and operated under the name East Central Health District Foundation. When the hospital district was created through the amalgamation of several health boards in the region, many of the facilities set up trust funds with monies they had previously acquired. Some of the trust funds continue to be used to provide support for facilities in those communities. The Yorkton Union Hospital, which had the largest pool of donated funds at the time, transferred its funds to the new foundation. The Foundation was designated as the official organization to raise funds and issue charitable tax receipts for all facilities within the new health district. The Executive Director at the time the foundation was established was Bonnie Jean Muir, and her assistant was Brandi LaBonte. Annette Popowich joined the foundation as the Administrative Assistant in mid-1998, and in April of 1999 Joe Laxdal became the Executive Director. In 2001, Gwen Bryksa assumed the duties of Administrative Assistant, and in 2003 that position was taken over by Joan Kozushka. On January 1, 2000, the organization officially changed its name to The Health Foundation of East Central Saskatchewan, Inc. The new name better reflects the fact that those using the regional health facilities, and those wishing to support the work of The Foundation, come from many communities in eastern Saskatchewan, as well as a vast area of western Manitoba. When the amalgamation of health districts into larger regions took place in the spring of 2002, the Sunrise Health Region came into being, incorporating the former East Central Health Region as well as the Assiniboia Health Region to the north, and the North Valley Health Region to the south. With that change, The Health Foundation expanded its scope of operations, assuming responsibility for fund-raising, and supporting the needs of health care, throughout the new region. Joe Laxdal retired from The Health Foundation in the spring of 2005, when Ross Fisher became the Executive Director. | 