FISHERVILLE—The Fisherville Lions have begun dispersing funds from their first Catch the Ace, which concluded in November 2023. Among the many donations is $50,000 to the Dunnville Hospital and Healthcare Foundation (DHHF), which raises funds for Haldimand War Memorial Hospital (HWMH) and Edgewater Gardens Long Term Care.
“It is absolutely amazing!” says Sandie Heirwegh, DHHF Board Chair. “We’re so grateful. Since the government doesn’t purchase any equipment for hospitals, that’s what we raise money for.”
Sharon Moore, President and Chief Executive Officer of HWMH, adds, “We absolutely could not function without these donations.”
The hospital recently added a new CT scanner and is looking into other diagnostic imaging equipment. Moore explains that CT scanners are becoming a standard of care as the scans are replacing x-rays. She says, “For medical personnel to have state of the art equipment is important…. It helps with recruitment.”
Deb Rollo, Executive Director of the DHHF notes that having such equipment at the hospital means that a nurse does not have to accompany a patient to another hospital for a scan. At present, the CT scanner at HWMH is the only one in Haldimand.
Other Catch the Ace donation recipients include $2,500 each to Norfolk Haldimand Community Hospice New Building Fund, Community Living Haldimand Independent Living Program, and Haldimand and Norfolk Women’s Services.
The Lions presented $1,000 donations to Ronald McDonald House, Crime Stoppers of Haldimand and Norfolk, Hammerheads Swim Team, and the Fisherville Fire Department Station 12. The Lions A2 Effective Speaking program received $250.
More Catch the Ace donations will be made by the club in the weeks ahead. These contributions are appreciated by all of the organizations benefitting from the work of the Fisherville Lions. Sandie Heirwegh says, “We are grateful to the Lions for all they did to make this happen. It shows what this community is like.”
