Thankful to the community

Everyone who ever enters the Health Centre whether for elective or trauma reasons must be forever thankful for our community’s support in buying medical equipment.  
The recent 5th annual Biosphere Walk, Run, Pole highlighted the support and the need.  Six of our local doctors, their patients, families and friends were joined by others from outside the Parry Sound area raising $51,000 (net) to replace failing equipment in our local surgical unit.  
For our 5th annual running of the Georgian Bay Biosphere Walk, Run, Pole we had 200 participants from far and near; three Route sponsors – Kawartha Credit Union; Lafarge and CN; two Heart Healthy sponsors – Scotiabank and AstraZeneca; many local businesses – Morgan Construction, Harry’s No Frill’s, Mitch’s, Lifestyles, Comfort Inn, Richard’s Coffee, Wahti Springs and Kellerman’s; four local massage services - Dolly Halls, Sabina Kosalka, Stephanie Bishop and Saskia Jennings;  terrific local musicians – Larry Simons, Jon Kidd Drum Kit, Patrick Louch, Al the Spectacular and Kristin House and the “Easy Pickin’s Turtle Lake Junk Band”and over 30 volunteers.
They all teamed up to make a perfect day – netting the Foundation $40,000.  A true heartfelt thank you to all! The foundation will immediately purchase new exercise equipment for Cardiac Rehab and allocate $25,000 to the replace the broken C-arm in the surgical unit.  
The generosity and enthusiasm of everyone who participated in our 5th annual Biosphere Walk, Run, Pole is our community’s good fortune.  Keeping equipment up-to-date in a hospital located in a small northern town is a challenge.  It takes heroic support!  Thank you everyone who volunteered, participated or pledged a participant.
A special thanks to our organizing committee, our volunteers that Sunday, the Stockey Centre staff, the OPP, the Town of Parry Sound Council and staff, Bear Claw Tours, the Chamber staff, North of Muskoka Embroidery, and Sysco (the Health Centre’s food supplier) all of who ensured a terrific experience for all participants.  
Our organizing committee is always humbled by the goodwill from so many people who care about local medical services.  
Thank you for making our event such an extraordinary success.  We promise 2013 will be equally as great on our spectacular route along the sparkling shores of Georgian Bay.  See you Sunday, May 26, 2013.  So far the weather forecast looks perfect!