By Joanne Rodgers, Bruce Peninsula Press
The Bruce Peninsula Hospitals Foundation Board hosted a reception at the Lion’s Head Hospital on 28 October 2024 to celebrate Wendell Thomson’s remarkable contribution to local health care.
After a highly successful first walk in 2023 raising approximately $31,000 for the nurse call system at the Lion’s Head Hospital; Wendell set an ambitious goal of raising $50,000 in 2024. Currently the 2024 Wendell’s Walk has raised over $50,700. Mayor Milt McIver says he has learnt over the years to never doubt Wendell’s fundraising abilities.
This year, the funds raised will go towards a major renovation of the accessible shower room at the Lion’s Head Hospital. The total cost of the renovation is $100,000. The Lion’s Head Hospital Auxiliary has contributed $32,000 towards the cost of the renovation.
April Patry, Director of the Foundation, says with the average age of a resident in Northern Bruce being 62.5 years, having an accessible shower room will be beneficial to ensuring the safety of patients and the staff. The current room with a standard household shower has made it difficult to maneuver patients. The room will be converted to a wet room, with central drain, wall mounted plumbing fixtures, new flooring and with adequate space for staff and patients to move about safely. Typically there are 142 stays at the hospital, on average a patient stays 9.9 days. Each patient would take about two or three baths per stay.
Two hundred and twenty six donors contributed to Wendell’s Walk, with the Foundations’ Board Member Brian Taylor saying that the community has shown a responsibility to give to local health care by supporting Wendell’s fundraising efforts. On behalf of the Board, Brian thanked Wendell and his team “for a job well done”,
April acknowledged Wendell’s support team for their contribution to logistics and companionship on the walk. Kathy Nixon Speechley, Fallah Alrubeyi, Lonnie Bray of Bluewater RV and Wendell’s siblings Vicki and Frank were on hand for both days of the walk; this core team was joined by fellow walkers Roni Brousse, Maureen McColeman, Anne James and Trudy Fahie for various segments of the walk from Pike Bay to Sauble Beach and back.
Wendell and his team also went on a tour of the hospital facilities to see the planned improvements.
Donations to ‘Wendell’s Walk for Health Care’ will continue to be accepted until the end of 2024, and can be made on-line (www.bphfoundation.com), via e-transfer (to admin@bphfoundation.com), by telephone – (519) 534-5856 – or by regular mail (to Bruce Peninsula Hospitals Foundation, 369 Mary Street, Wiarton, Ontario, N0H 2T0). Please include your full mailing address with your donation to receive a charitable donation receipt.
Kathy and Fallah accompanied Wendell on the 60 km walk from Pike Bay to Sauble Beach on Day 1 and back to Pike Bay on Day 2.
McIver says he appreciates all that Wendell has done for the community, says he has learnt over the years to never doubt Wendell’s fundraising abilities.
