GUELPH – The Foundation of Guelph General Hospital has recognized local business leaders Linda Hasenfratz and Ed Newton for their community and charitable contributions, naming the couple the 2025 recipients of the foundation’s Inspirational Philanthropist Award.
The award, described as the foundation’s highest honour, “celebrates an individual, family or organization who has demonstrated an abiding commitment to Guelph General Hospital as well as the wider community through their exceptional contributions through business, volunteerism and/or philanthropy,” a news release stated.
“Linda and Ed have done so much to advance our hospital and our entire community through their volunteer commitments, personal and corporate donations as well as in roles as local, national and global business leaders,” foundation CEO Julie Byczynski stated in the news release.
“Their impact has been extraordinary and deserves to be celebrated.”
The award was presented to Newton and Hasenfratz at the foundation’s annual Circle of Life Celebration, which was hosted by the couple on Dec. 3 at Linamar House, and sponsored by Linamar Corporation.
The event was attended by members of the foundation’s board of directors, senior leadership from Guelph General Hospital, and nearly 100 Circle of Life Inner Circle supporters, the release said.
“Linda and Ed founded our foundation’s Circle of Life donor program,” foundation chair Khalil Khamis stated in the release.
“Now in its second decade, this important giving collective provides a vital, ongoing source of revenue to fuel our hospital’s most pressing needs.
“Over the years, they’ve inspired so many people to start or increase their giving to the hospital, helping raise more than $3 million.”
According to the foundation’s website, Circle of Life Inner Circle members pool funds to support hospital projects. They contribute to a collective fund throughout the calendar year and then have the chance to vote on what project – from those presented by hospital staff – they would like to support at year end.
During the award presentation, a significant list of contributions to Guelph General was described, including Hasenfratz’s role as co-chair of the Together, We Care campaign, which raised $37.5 million and has helped transform the hospital’s special care nursery and install a new MRI machine. The planned emergency department expansion, including mental health and addiction services, will also be supported by this campaign funding, the release stated.
Hasenfratz is executive chair of the board of Linamar Corporation. Newton is president and CEO of Kiwi Newton.
The Inspirational Philanthropist Award not only recognizes their contributions to the hospital, but their philanthropy to other organizations.
“Guelph General Hospital benefits tremendously when the whole Guelph community thrives,” the release noted.
“Their support of St. Joseph’s Health Centre Foundation, United Way, Grove Youth Hub, Guelph Wish Fund, River Run Centre, Big Brothers Big Sisters, the University of Guelph, and others have left an indelible imprint on the social fabric of Guelph-Wellington making it a better place for all to live, work or study in the community,” Byczynski stated.
“Ed and I are deeply honoured to be receiving this recognition,” Hasenfratz stated in the release. “We have long believed that a community works, lives, succeeds and thrives together; there is nothing more important than us all collectively doing what we can to make our communities a better place to live.
“Supporting GGH was an easy decision for us as high quality health care is something every person needs and can only be achieved with a combination of public and private support.”
The Inspirational Philanthropist Award was established in 2022. Past recipients include Barb Wood and the late John Wood, and Bob Ireland.
The award presentation was an additional part of the annual Circle of Life celebration event. Central to the event were presentations from hospital leaders on projects they are hoping to bring to Guelph General.
Inner Circle members who donate before Dec. 17 will have until that date to vote of which project their donations will support, Byczynski told the Advertiser in an email.
“This year’s projects are all focused around innovation and sustainability in patient care at Guelph General.”
One project would modernize the lab to enhance quality and speed of test results; another would bring leading edge technology to the hospital to digitize pathology for faster, more accurate diagnoses; and the third would expand diagnostic imaging services to a new site within the community, she stated.
Donations are still being collected, but typically the Circle of Life Fund has supported projects in the range of $300,000 to $400,000, “and that’s our goal this year,” Byczynski stated.
For more information, visit gghfoundation.ca.
