NEWS RELEASE
ORILLIA SOLDIERS’ MEMORIAL HOSPITAL FOUNDATION
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Orillia Home Hardware Building Centre hopes their pledge to Orillia Soldiers’ Memorial Hospital (OSMH)’s Giving Tuesday campaign will spark a giving spirit in our community.
The world’s largest generosity movement, Giving Tuesday, is taking place on Nov. 29, 2022. Now in its 10th year, Giving Tuesday encourages people to uplift and transform their communities through giving.
Orillia’s Home Hardware co-owners, Bill Ecklund, Chris Locke and Kirk McLean, have pledged $25,000 to match this year’s Giving Tuesday donations to the hospital.
“It’s incumbent on our business to give back to this community,” said Chris Locke, co-owner of Orillia Home Hardware Building Centre.
As community builders and supporters, the local Home Hardware owners made it their priority to support the hospital, an important “pillar” for health and excellence in our region.
“The hospital is an anchor in this community,” Locke said. “It just makes sense for us to help where it’s needed and we are happy to do so.”
This year, OSMH is raising funds to purchase Holter monitors and sleeper chairs.
“We remain dedicated to serving our community with excellence and fostering great patient experiences,” said Carmine Stumpo, president and chief executive officer for OSMH. “These efforts are made possible through community support.”
Holter monitors record the heart’s rhythm to help detect irregular heartbeats and will be used in the cardio-respiratory department. Sleeper chairs will be used to increase comfort for extended visitors in integrated medicine and rehab services, pediatrics, and obstetrics.
“These purchases will help our team to increase patient comfort and promote earlier, more accurate diagnoses,” Stumpo said.
In 2021, OSMH raised a record-breaking $24,673 for ophthalmoscopes, otoscopes, and thermometers for their ER and ICU departments.
“I was blown away by the community support we received last year,” said Hunter Markle, community engagement officer for the Orillia Soldiers’ Memorial Hospital Foundation. “It is so great to see how committed this region is to supporting local health-care services and the compassionate team that delivers it.”
Locke and his team are dedicated to making this year’s Giving Tuesday a success for OSMH. Though they have already committed a gift of $25,000 to match donations, they are willing to give even more if community support calls for it.
“We want (our community) to push us to stretch our dollars as far as we can,” Locke said. “If they can participate, we’ve got lots more to back it up.”
Donations to the OSMH Giving Tuesday campaign can be made online, in person at the Soldiers’ foundation office, and by calling 705-325-6464. Orillia’s Home Hardware will also be collecting cash donations at their tills on Giving Tuesday.
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