Saugeen Memorial Hospital Auxiliary President Ann Veyvara-Divinski (centre) presented a cheque for $16,000, part of a three year, $50,000 commitment to Saugeen Memorial Hospital Foundation toward the Owen Sound Regional Hospital's new MRI, to Foundation Executive Director Tracy Murray and Foundation Chair Jim Barbour.

Hub Staff

The Saugeen Memorial Hospital Foundation (SMHF) received a generous donation of $16,000 from the Saugeen Memorial Hospital Auxiliary (SMHA) March 26, the first instalment of the Auxiliary's three year, $50,000 pledge to the Grey Bruce Health Service’s $4.7 million MRI fundraising initiative.

The current Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI) in use at the Owen Sound Regional Hospital is 14 years old and has been providing essential diagnostic imaging to more than 10,000 patients in Grey and Bruce every year. The new MRI would reduce the average test time by 10 minutes, allowing a greater number of patients to be tested, as well as offering more comfort to patients and providing physicians with higher quality images to aid in accurate diagnosis.

SMHA members presented their initial cheque during a business meeting in Rotary Hall in Southampton to SMHF Executive Director Tracy Murray and Foundation Chair Jim Barbour.

SMHA President Ann Veyvara-Divinski said that the Auxiliary had been providing care, equipment and service to the local hospital for over 75 years. “Today's pledge instalment is another proud moment in our history as we continue to support health care in our neighbourhood,” she said.

Veyvara-Divinski said that the money was raised through various events the Auxiliary holds each year. “Between our Christmas market, golf tournament and other activities,” she explained, adding that the money raised goes into their general funds where they then decide where to allocate it each year.

For three years the general membership decided that they would donate towards the MRI campaign, Veyvara-Divinski said. “So many [SMHA members] are either former health care workers or have needed an MRI themselves so know the benefit of an MRI,” she said.

Foundation Executive Director Tracy Murray presented the Auxiliary with a plaque acknowledging the group's contribution to the MRI campaign. “We wanted to say thank you because your donation indeed is very generous,” she said and added that the Auxiliary to date has given almost $600,000 to SMHF "which is pretty impressive,” said Murray.

"The community is very generous with their donations,” said SMHF Chair Jim Barbour, who added that through donations like this the SMHF has now raised $581,000 towards the MRI campaign, a number already exceeding their $560,000 target.

Saugeen Memorial Hospital Auxiliary president, Ann Veyvara-Divinski right accepts a plaque from Saugeen Memorial Hospital Foundation Executive Director Tracy Murray and Foundation Chair Jim Barbour acknowledging the Auxiliaries donation to the MRI campaign.

Members of the Saugeen Memorial Hospital Auxiliary presented the cheque to Saugeen Memorial Hospital Foundation at their business meeting at Rotary Hall in Southampton March 26.