As anyone who has had to go to hospital emergency for any length of time, there is nothing more welcoming than a warm blanket.
Fortunately, for Saugeen Memorial Hospital in Southampton, the Florence Nightingale Home Foundation, a charitable arm of the Order of the Eastern Star Ontario, recently presented a donation of $5,000 to go toward a new blanket warmer.
Members of the Group came from as far away Scarborough, Kitchener-Waterloo,Woodstock, Kincardine, Feversham and Waterton and also travelled to Wiarton to make a donation to the local Wiarton hospital.
The donation harkens back to 1913 when, at a meeting of Florence Nightingale Chapter #5 in Brockville, a $5 gold coin was donated with the stipulation that upon the formation of a Grand Chapter in Ontario the sum be donated to start a fund for an Eastern Star Home.
In 1915, the Grand Chapter of Ontario was organized in 1915 and fundraising began for the Home Fund. Eventually a home was purchased in Agincourt in 1927 and dedicated in 1928 for orphaned children of Eastern Star and Masonic families.
After several years however, due to the fact that social agencies began to look after these children, the home became a residence for older members of the Order. Again, with increasing help from social agencies, members began to be looked after in other facilities and, because it was no longer a viable operation, it was decided in 1975 to sell the Home.
Following the sale of the Home, the money realized was invested and the interest generated on the investments (less operating expenses), plus donations from Chapters and individual members, was used to provide pieces of equipment to hospitals throughout the Province. Today, the organization makes four to five donations every year.
The first donation was in 1982 and, by the end of June (2024), 269 presentations to hospitals were made in addition to four monetary donations for disaster relief and 10 monetary donations to assist with COVID relief.
“This donation is truly appreciated,” said Foundation Executive Director, Graham Martin. “The province doesn’t provide funding for equipment so every donation makes a difference.”
