Saugeen Memorial Hospital Foundation received two donations this week.
On Tuesday, February 23rd, the Saugeen Hospital Ladies Auxiliary presented $17,000 as an instalment of its three-year $50,000 commitment toward the hospital’s new X-ray machine.
The government does not provide any funding to hospitals for equipment and, therefore, funds must come from donations and fundraising campaigns.

The second donation was made on February 25th when salon owner Salina Dingh presented $5,000.

Salina Dinh, owner of Angelica Nail Salon & Spa in Port Elgin, Aloha in Kincardine and now Atlantis in Southampton, raised the funds after purchasing Downs Home Hardware on High Street in Southampton and selling the inventory as a charitable fundraiser.
“We asked the community where they wanted the funds raised to go,” said Dinh, “and they came up with three recipients – Saugeen Memorial Hospital Foundation, Women’s Centre and the Salvation Army Food Bank in Port Elgin. Thanks to the generosity of the community, we are able to give $5,000 to each. The whole process of selling and asking the community where it wanted the proceeds to go, gave us the motivation to become part of the community.”
According to the company Administrator, Janine King, there are going to be some surprises at the new location. “We know that former owners of Pro Hardware, Mike and Jean (Downs) were an integral part of the community and we believe that we can also become a part of the community and Mike has been unbelievable in welcoming us.”
“We are so thankful for these donations,” says Foundation Executive Director, Tracy Murray, “as we are now working on a capital equipment list for the next fiscal year to ensure that we can continue to provide the highest standard for the community when it comes to local hospital health care.”