BHP assisted in the funding of the Humboldt hospital's new chemistry analyzer in the past year which was part of the over $180,000 worth of equipment purchased by the Humboldt and District Hospital Foundation. (Submitted photo/Lorrie Bunko)

By Becky Zimmer

good financial health

Humboldt hospital foundation celebrates successful year despite COVID challenges

Aug 12, 2021 | 12:58 PM

The Humboldt and District Hospital Foundation (HDHF) recently hosted their AGM with the City of Humboldt council.

HDHF executive director Lorrie Bunko said even with COVID-19 playing a significant role in the past year, there were some positives too that she got to discuss with members of the HDHF board and city officials.

The foundation, which fundraises for equipment for the Humboldt and District Hospital Complex, saw a net revenue of $403,539 over the past year with $346,000 coming from donors and bequests. Very little came in from fundraising events and memorial donations that the foundation receives from local funerals.

“We get a significant amount of donations coming through memorials. So with the limited amount of funerals and a limited amount of people that could be at a funeral, and with the nonexistence of events, that was a big hit for us.”

Even with a lack of fundraising opportunities, Bunko told northeastNOW donors reached out to them this past year.

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“People just reached out to us and asked us what our needs were and appreciated the hospital more than ever because it was close to their homes throughout the Humboldt district.”

That’s what the foundation is about, said Bunko, and she is glad the foundation has made those connections with communities throughout the Humboldt district over the years.

One such donor even broke the million dollar mark this year for total donations. The Humboldt Good Neighbour Store distributes their revenue on a yearly basis with the HDHF a consistent recipient. They have now donated over $1 million to the foundation.

Chairman of the Good Neighbour Store Board, Gwen Saret, told northeastNOW everyone will need the hospital at some point in their lives, and while they make donations to organizations across the area, the hospital is the most important.

“I know the hospital serves not only the community of Humboldt, but the area…We get donations, not only from Humboldt but from the whole area. We also have volunteers from different areas; Muenster, Englefeld, Cudworth, Middle Lake, Bruno…and these people use the hospital.”

The foundation also purchased $182,577 worth of new equipment for the Humboldt hospital this past year, including items for the emergency and operating rooms, the inpatient, obstetrics, and palliative care departments, diagnostic imaging, and the mental health and addictions department.

One thing that continues to be a challenge is the foundation having to function away from their usual office space in the hospital lobby.

Bunko said the move to Humboldt’s Main Street in the Beheil Tax and Accounting building was made early in the pandemic and they have yet to move back. She said she and executive assistant Adrienne Ries feed off the healthcare environment to do their jobs so it’s a working space that they miss.

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becky.zimmer@pattisonmedia.com

On Twitter: @bex_zim