Items filtered by date: October 2023

Lyle and Heather Perkins were recently recognized as “Community Heroes” by the Kemptville District Hospital (KDH) Foundation. They were delighted to receive this unexpected recognition of their personal contributions over the years and their role in supporting the Hospital - as had Lyle’s father, Howard - through Perkins Hardware Building Centre in North Gower.*

Lyle said he remembers when KDH was being built in 1959. It was natural that his father would be curious about it - after all, his business focused on supplying materials for house and barn construction in North Gower. Lyle, then a young lad, would accompany him to the hospital building site on Concession Road, Kemptville where they would both marvel at the progress. KDH would eventually open its doors on June 29, 1960, when thousands of excited and curious visitors were greeted by the nurses and guided through the new facility on that glorious day.

Heather remarked that “the hospital has come a long way since those early days”.

As with the hospital, Perkins Lumber has also evolved with the times.

In the store’s office are numerous large aerial photographs showing Perkins Lumber near the intersection of Fourth Line Road and Roger Stevens Drive. They record the many changes which have occurred in the area since the business began in 1936 during the Great Depression.

Lyle grew the lumber company from when he assumed leadership in the early eighties. In 2011, along with his son Mark, he steered the company in a new direction and a new name. He was also involved in several community associations, including fifty years with the North Gower Volunteer Fire Department. He proudly shared that in 1948 his father was the first appointed Fire Chief of the Township Fire Department and that his son Mark is a volunteer fire fighter.

Heather is also very engaged with the community.

Presently she is helping to gather food and Christmas presents for those who are struggling locally. She said, “the need to fill sixty Angel tags is a real indicator of the times”.

The Perkins family connections to the hospital are deeply rooted to the urgent call which went out to the community more than sixty years ago to help build a hospital in Kemptville. In Howard Perkins’ footsteps they continue to support the hospital.

Heather said, “we need the hospital ourselves - and our family - and it’s where we want to go for care”.

KDHF is presently involved in a $2.2 million Crossroads Capital Campaign to bring a CT Scanner to KDH.

*North Gower was part of Rideau Township and then became part of Ottawa during the City’s Amalgamation in 2001.

Earlier this year, Herb Cloutier of J.A.M. Productions and Bob Windsor of Blackwind Studios (and Eddy and the Stingrays) collaborated on a fundraising effort for the Kemptville District Hospital Foundation, bringing together a group of 13 local songwriters to record original songs in Bob Windsor’s Blackwind Studio.

Bob added his musical magic to the numbers and a full-length album/CD of exclusively local, exclusively original music was completed.

All participants have 100% donated all their efforts to realize this wonderful, artistic vision with the understanding that 100% of the sales would go directly the KDHF efforts to raise funds to bring a CT scanner to our local hospital.

Pay what you can - if you set your price above the suggested $10, your additional dollars will also go to support KDHF.

Buy the Digital Album

Kemptville District Hospital (KDH) Foundation received a $10,750 donation from Kathy Holmes and family on Nov. 7, 2023. This generous gift is intended for the Foundation’s CT Scanner Crossroads Campaign and is a result of the Third Annual Greg Holmes Memorial Golf Tournament held September 15, 2023, at the Meadows Golf and Country Club, Ottawa.

Mrs. Holmes coordinated the Tournament along with organizer Bill O’Brien in memory of her late husband, Greg, who loved golf and other sports. He passed away in 2021 after a long illness. Their adult children, Brett, Gina and Dylan were also part of the well- attended golf event which had 142 participants.

A resident of Osgoode, Mrs. Holmes said that she read the Foundation’s spring campaign letter in which Dr. Sentongo, Chief of KDH Staff, explained the urgent need for a CT Scanner at the hospital. “For the patient, a CT Scan can provide early diagnosis which means early management of the health issue.”

This appeal explained that a CT Scanner will bring better care, faster patient care and care which is closer to home. It will also help recruit new physicians to the hospital who expect a CT Scanner as part of their diagnostic tool kit.

Mrs. Holmes set the Spring appeal letter aside and revisited it as the date of the Golf Tournament approached. She thought, “This made sense that we support the CT Scanner Campaign. This is what I want to do with the Tournament’s proceeds.”

Foundation Executive Director Joanne Mavis was delighted to receive the cheque which brings the Foundation closer to its $2.2 million goal. ”We urgently need the CT Scan technology at home, in Kemptville.”

Construction of the new space to house the CT Scanner at KDH is expected to begin in March 2024.

Attending the cheque presentation with Mrs. Holmes were her son Brett and baby grandson Tate, Joanne Mavis and Pat Poirier, Foundation Director.

The next Greg Holmes Memorial Golf Tournament will be September 20, 2024.

For more information visit The Crossroads Campaign page.

Further information:

The recent success of the CT Scanner Lottery brought the CT Scanner Crossroads Campaign closer to its goal of raising $2.2 million. The Lottery secured $200,000 for the Kemptville District Hospital (KDH) Foundation. Executive Director Joanne Mavis said, “it was an outstanding success and exceeded our expectations! Thank you to everyone who participated int this lottery.”

Top prize winner of the Camaro, Todd Durie, was delighted when he received the call from Mavis. “At first, she discussed some landscaping she wanted done at the Foundation Garden and I thought, ok, I guess I didn’t win. Then she said, while you are here, you can drive home the car you just won!”

The blue Camaro was presented to Durie, owner of Outer Creations Landscaping, Kemptville at Myers Chevrolet, Buick GMC, Kemptville on November 2, 2020, which just happened to also be Durie’s birthday. Everyone agreed it was a birthday he will not easily forget!

Durie said he and his family have supported the Foundation in various ways over the years, including organizing several very successful Golf Tournaments in memory of his late mother. He believes that the CT Scanner will be a great asset to the hospital and the community.

The CT Scanner is a vital diagnostic tool which will be a definite game changer for KDH in providing better patient care, faster care and care closer to home. Presently, a patient who requires an urgent CT Scan must be transported by ambulance in a 100 km round trip to an Ottawa hospital and wait usually many uncomfortable hours to have a scan. With a CT Scanner at KDH, it will mean a ride down the hall in a gurney or wheelchair.

Along with a pledge of $200,000 from the hospital, the United Counties of Leeds and Grenville and the Municipality of North Grenville have pledged $2 million to build the new space to accommodate the CT Scanner. Construction is expected to begin in Spring 2024.

For more information, visit the Crossroads Campaign page.