Oct. 5, 2007/- Volunteers at Hotel Dieu Hospital have made good on the first installment of a $1 million pledge to the hospital’s redevelopment, funding that their president calls “crucial” as Kingston’s hospitals seek municipal support for redevelopment projects that will support quality health for generations to come.

At their 102nd annual general meeting today, Volunteer Services to Hotel Dieu Hospital presented $205,000 to hospital representatives and the University Hospitals Kingston Foundation, the first portion of a five-year, $1 million pledge in support of redevelopment at Hotel Dieu.

Remarkably, the funding commitment was made only in January, says Sherri McCullough, president of Volunteer Services.

“We’ve raised this contribution in record time because we realize how crucial these funds are for redevelopment at Hotel Dieu,” says McCullough. “With the province paying 90 percent of eligible construction costs, our total pledge of $1 million will ultimately translate into $10 million.

“If the province ever needs evidence of community support behind our hospitals’ redevelopment plans, then it can look to our volunteers. We’re determined to get on with our ambitious pledge and to turn vision into reality for our patients.”

Over the past year, Volunteer Services has also assisted a variety of patient services in the hospital, providing close to $20,000 for pediatric programs, equipment such as specialized mattresses and monitors, and patient comforts. Big money earners for the organization included the popular Brockview Café ($188,000), Gift Shop ($40,000) and Lottery Booth ($22,000).

As well, says McCullough, volunteer hours shot up more than 13 percent over the year, with the hospital’s 250 volunteers logging a whopping 18,141 hours. At the AGM, 16 volunteers received service pins for anywhere from 5 to 30 years of service; in total, the group represented 210 years of service to the hospital.

“Our volunteers are the heart and soul of Hotel Dieu,” says McCullough, “and every day they make a difference in someone’s life. This year, we’re especially proud to be supporting the kind of redevelopment of our facilities that will make us one of Canada’s leading ambulatory care centres.

“We’re already well along in our pledge and there’s no stopping us now.”

Hotel Dieu Hospital is the ambulatory care teaching hospital for Kingston and Southeastern Ontario, providing expert care to more than 500,000 people in the region. Our specialized services include outpatient pediatrics, ophthalmology, diabetes education, breast assessment, day surgery, urgent care and mental health programs. Affiliated with Queen's University, we are partners within Kingston's university hospitals, delivering quality health care, leading innovative research and training the health care professionals of tomorrow.