From left: Lorna Penney, Beverly Hardy, Danielle Clarke, Glenda Hatcher – © Ryan King
By RYAN KING
PORT AUX BASQUES – The annual Radiothon fundraiser for the LeGrow Health Centre Foundation in Port aux Basques was held on Wednesday, Sept. 29. Wayne Green, Chair of the LeGrow Health Centre Foundation, was on the air with VOCM from 9:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m., discussing the fundraising effort and taking donations. The Sir Thomas Roddick Hospital took to the airwaves after that time, but people could still call in to make donations to LeGrow as well.
The goal for the LeGrow Health Centre Foundation was to raise money to purchase medical equipment. The hospital has been fundraising for some time to purchase three critical care monitors at a cost of $220,000. This equipment monitors heart rhythms, blood pressure, and oxygen levels, which makes it critical in cases like heart attacks.
Green believes the Radiothon this year was an excellent success with plenty of giveaways for the listeners.
“It went great. We had a great day, had a lot of great help, a lot of great donations. We had a lot of prizes to give away,” said Green. “I don’t know the total number of prizes that we had to give away, but there was a lot.”
The public were generous with their donations.
“We raised, through donations through individuals and the business community, not only here from the Southwest coast of Newfoundland, but also from different parts of Canada, and the total that we had was $52,199.42,” said Green.
While no doubt impressive, the funds raised fell a little short of the $60,000 goal. However, those wishing to help the foundation can still make donations at the Port aux Basques Lions Club.
“Well, we set a goal of $60,000, but we understand, you know, as well that at this point in time with COVID-19 and everything happening, it makes it harder for people to do things. So anyway we’re more than happy. We’re quite pleased with that donation of $52,199.42, and I’m sure that people will donate in the days to come,” said Green. “Because we’re set up at the Lions Club for the next number of days for people that want to come in and pay pledges, or people who couldn’t make that phone call today, they can certainly drop into the Lions Club and pay the pledge.”
Additionally, if someone wishes to donate, but cannot make it to the Lions Club, they can send their donation through e-transfer.
“We got an email address. There’s no password involved. It’s legrowfoundation@gmail.com, but make sure in the remarks section you mark who the donation is for. For example, some people do have an address that’s different. Like it’s not their name. It could be something else different, and then they got to make sure to mark your name. For example, my name is Wayne Green, so if I got an email address, like say, abc@hotmail.com, or something like that, I have to make sure I put my name there because for our records to try to figure out who the donation was from, and to make sure that we got the receipt for it too,” explained Green.
The provincial government also chipped in during the radiothon, with Burgeo-La Poile MHA Andrew Parsons calling in to make a donation for $50,000.
“Andrew made that announcement this morning on behalf of government. They donated $50,000 again this year for that great project. You know, they did $50,000 last year, $50,000 this year. So, the equipment will be ordered and hopefully it’ll be in the hospital soon.”
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