FERGUS – Lions for Groves has done it.
On Oct. 27 representatives from the group and the Groves Hospital Foundation celebrated the conclusion of a fundraising campaign.
Nine Lions clubs from Wellington County and the surrounding area raised $240,000 since May 2017, surpassing their $200,000 pledge, for the Diabetes and Patient Education Centre at the new Groves hospital, set to open in 2020.
“It feels absolutely outstanding,” said Lions for Groves chair Denis Vinette in an Oct. 28 interview with the Advertiser.
“I feel in my heart, a new awareness and a new belief in the commitment that Lions have to their communities.
“I’ve always been a big part of the Lions organization, in its administration and its leadership, but this is the kind of stuff that really makes a difference.”
He said it’s uncommon for several Lions Clubs to come together and work on a fundraising effort.
“But when it came to the hospital, we saw it as an opportunity for us to bind together, take this cause in hand and work together towards a more significant goal – a respectable goal for an organization like ourselves,” Vinette said.
“And we did it.”
Each of the nine clubs – including Ariss and Maryhill, Arthur, Belwood, Elora, Fergus, Grand Valley, Hillsburgh, Marsville and Rockwood – pledged a certain amount, ensuring the campaign would raise the $200,000 for the hospital.
“The community rallied around other … efforts, events or opportunities and ended up bumping that up to the point where we’re at today,” Vinette said.
Lions for Groves received a $65,000 grant from Lions Clubs International as part of its Groves contribution.
“Lions are very much involved with diabetes awareness and anything with diabetes … as a result there was a diabetes special grant available,” Vinette said.
The money raised by Lions for Groves will go towards various aspects of the Diabetes and Patient Education Centre at the new hospital, including: audio-visual equipment (computers, technology and digital displays for patients), office furniture and medical items (PPE dispensers, a bariatric scale, pharmacy refrigerator and wall mounted sharps disposal unit).
“The support of the Lions has been absolutely incredible and it has been a pleasure to work with them,” said Lori Arsenault, executive director of the Groves Hospital Foundation.
“We at the foundation have truly enjoyed attending all of their meetings, barbecues, community events and trade shows and we are so excited to recognize the Lions as they achieved their goal.
“Thank you to all of the Lions for all they do in our community and for our hospital.”
Though the Lions for Groves campaign is now complete, Vinette said the Lions will never stop contributing to the hospital.
“We’d love to be able to reach [a] quarter of a million but we don’t know if that will be possible in the short term,” Vinette said.
“We do know it will be possible because we always keep the hospitals in our sights.”
He added the clubs will likely be taking some time to identify their priorities before they jump back into a major fundraising campaign.
