In a letter to the Chair of the Saugeen Memorial Hospital Foundation, the author Tony Sheard, laid out his concerns.
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Martha Bennett,
Chair of the Saugeen Memorial Hospital Foundation.
Thank you for your email letter dated January 26th notifying me, along with other donors, of the impending Foundation name change.
I trust you are well and surviving the winter weather. It has not been the best of weather here in Portugal. Today it is wet and blustery, so I took the opportunity to do a little research on the history of the hospital before drafting a response.
I understand and respect the goal of aligning more closely with Brightshores Health System so communities can see how care connects across Grey and Bruce, although I must admit I remain to be convinced on the change from Grey Bruce to Brightshores, but that is another story.
I also appreciate the careful approach being taken to phase in these changes responsibly, with respect for donor dollars. That said, I feel compelled to share some concerns, especially from the perspective of local engagement and fundraising.
The strength of hospital philanthropy in Southampton, Port Elgin, and surrounding
areas has always come from a clear, deeply rooted sense of local identity. Remember the Southampton site serves a wider area than the Town of Saugeen Shores, and I am sure the donor base reflects that.
The Saugeen Memorial Hospital Foundation is more than a name. It is a legacy that generations of donors recognize, trust, and feel personally tied to. The word Memorial carries genuine significance. It reflects history, gratitude, and remembrance.
My research, trawling through online Bruce County Museum records and Southampton Rotary’s history, identified that in 1945, as the Second World War was ending, Southampton’s Mayor Ellis Millard envisioned a hospital built as a memorial to those who gave their lives for our country.
Though located in Southampton, Saugeen Memorial Hospital was conceived as a district memorial, serving families across the region. It was born from community compassion and generosity, from the Rotary Club’s founding donation, local residents, payroll pledges, and government support. When it opened in 1947, it stood as both a place of caring and a shared tribute to those who served.
Removing “Memorial” risks breaking that emotional and historical link. For many, it feels less like a modernization and more like a loss.
The proposed name Brightshores Health System Saugeen Shores Hospital Foundation, while only partly geographically accurate, shifts the emphasis toward the system rather than the community. It is lengthy, institutional, and less immediate. In my experience, fundraising depends on emotion and connection. When a name feels distant, giving becomes less personal.
I do not question the dedication or integrity of the local Foundation team. But names and visuals do matter. They are often the first and most lasting point of connection with donors.
It is also unclear whether the trusted Saugeen Memorial Hospital Foundation logo will remain distinct or be merged into a single Brightshores brand, and that clarity is important.
I also recall that the most recent evolution of the Foundation’s name came about through careful local consideration. Emphasizing the “Hospital Foundation” resonated because that is how people understood its role. Clear, local, and proud. That identity has underpinned exceptional fundraising success, benefiting both the Southampton hospital site and the Owen Sound regional centre.
I share this perspective not just as a community member, but as someone who has served as a Director of the Foundation and chaired major campaigns, including for the new Emergency Department in Southampton and the MRI in Owen Sound. Those efforts succeeded because both volunteers and donors felt ownership and pride in their hospital and their Foundation.
I remain unconvinced that further rebranding will strengthen local fundraising. My concern is that it may weaken the very connection that has fuelled it for decades, and I offer these thoughts in a spirit of respect and care for the hospital, the Foundation, and the community that has supported both so faithfully.
I would welcome the chance for further discussion, should there be interest in exploring these concerns together.
Anthony (Tony) Sheard
Southampton
