Service clubs are often the backbone of small communities, providing leadership and performing charitable works for a common benefit. They help to make the community a better place to live while promoting good fellowship through the provision of their time, talents and treasure.

For over six decades Kemptville District Hospital (KDH) has gratefully benefitted from numerous service clubs in the area. That tradition of pulling together to strengthen health care in this community continues today as we witness their generous contributions (to date) to our $2.2 million CT Scanner Crossroads Campaign. In recent months, the KDH Foundation has received $419 from Bishop’s Mills Women Inspired, $4,000 from the Knights of Columbus 5333, $10,000 from Kiwanis Club of Manotick, $25,000 from Mountain and District Lions Club, $10,000 from Mount Zion 28 Masonic Lodge and $2,500 from the Royal Canadian Legion Kemptville Branch 212.

Service clubs have been there to support KDH from the very early beginnings when that first pressing call went out - build a hospital.

When the hospital Campaign began in June 1958, Dr. Jackson Flay, a member of the Kemptville Lions Club and one of the first physicians at KDH, launched it with a generous personal donation.

Other service club members followed suit, including fellow Kemptville Lions member, Norman Goldberg and Rotarians W.B. George, Albert Barr and Harry Van Allen – all of whom were Hospital Board Directors.

When the “Building Fund” ran dry in early 1960 due to escalating construction costs, a plea to fulfill pledges more quickly was answered by the Kemptville Lions Club. Their substantial June 1959 pledge of $1,500 was paid in full by September 1960.

In those early heady days, the service clubs furnished patient rooms, the laboratory and the x-ray department. They also gifted patient equipment such as wheelchairs, defibrillators, infant incubators and monitors.

Service clubs also contributed community service work. Rotarians planted over one thousand trees in June 1983 on the hospital grounds, previously the open fields of the Waterson farmland. They also helped the volunteer Fire Department with the hospital’s bi-annual “Disaster Exercises”.

The late Dr. George Fisher, Past Rotary District Governor (and later, Honourary Chair, “Lean On Me” Campaign) explained in an April 7, 1982, interview with The Weekly Advance that, “we in Rotary have now decided to supply…sophisticated, electronic medical equipment [to KDH] which will help our doctors not only save lives but potentially alleviate suffering and maybe reduce healing time”.

Some forty years later, Dr. Fisher could be delivering the same rallying cry to us today, as we fundraise for the CT Scanner which will bring better, faster urgent care closer to home.

At the “Putting on the Ritz” Gala three years later, the Lions Club, delighted the dinner guests when they presented a $5,000 cheque to the hospital, with a commitment for another $5,000.

Yet another group, the Rebekahs, contributed $3,000 to the Pain and Symptom Management Program. In a 2002 interview in The Advance/Review, the Treasurer of the Rebekahs, Muriel White, explained why they donated. Simply, “health care effects everyone… “

This same message resonates with the current CT Scanner Campaign.

Recently, the Royal Canadian Legion Kemptville Branch 212 donated to the CT Scanner Crossroads Campaign. In the past, the Kemptville Legion and the Legion’s Ontario Command Charitable Foundation made it possible to acquire a Patient Lift and Syringe Pumps for the KDH OR.

During a previous KDH Foundation $10 million Capital Campaign in the mid-2000s, known as “Lean On Me”, the Knights of Columbus 5333 donated $40,000. Their gift was specially made possible by the proceeds from their annual - and very popular - “Sweetheart Brunch”. The successful campaign transformed the hospital, with a new and expanded ER, new ORs, a new Café and Gift Shop and a DI department which included Ultrasound, X-Ray, Mammography and Bone Density services.

In all of these past and present service club examples, and in so many others not mentioned here, they fully demonstrate the passionate commitment by service clubs to help and create positive change in the community’s quality of life while contributing to the hospital’s mission to build a healthy community.

The CT Scanner Crossroads Campaign is generating strong interest and an outpouring of generosity. Presently, the Foundation has raised over $1.2 million towards their goal of $2.2 million.

This diagnostic tool is urgently needed in Kemptville. It will mean accident and trauma patients, as well as in-patients, will not need to be sent for a CT Scan by an ambulance on a 100 km round trip to another hospital, already working at full capacity.

With the community’s dynamic growth, including residential projects and nursing homes, the hospital needs to be prepared.  KDH Chief of Staff Dr. Colin Sentongo said, “Having a CT Scanner is an essential part of this planning. An ER cannot operate effectively without one.”

The KDH Foundation Executive Director, Joanne Mavis, is very grateful and thrilled to acknowledge the recent donations to the CT Scanner Crossroads Campaign from the service clubs in the area. She said, “Every single donation brings us closer to bringing the CT Scanner to KDH. This diagnostic tool will be a gamechanger for patients and physicians. We want to sincerely thank each and every one of the service club members for all their work and generosity, in the past and in the present. Together, we will make this happen.”

For more information, stories and events about the “KDH Foundation Crossroads CT Scanner $2.2 Million Campaign”, including how you can donate, see: The Crossroads Campaign

Margret Norenberg, KDH Foundation Board Chair (left) and Frank Vassallo, KDH CEO, (right) received the donation from Mountain Lion, Nathan Lang.

In March 2024, the Mountain and District Lions Club donated $25,000 to the KDH Foundation’s CT Scanner Campaign.

On February 24, 2024, the Mount Zion 28 Masonic Lodge held their Wild Game Dinner at the North Grenville Municipal Centre and donated $10,000 to the KDH Foundation’s CT Scanner Campaign.

(l-r) Kristy Carriere, KDH Foundation Co-ordinator, Lodge Officers Scott Lohnes and Gord Wyse, and KDH Foundation ED, Joanne Mavis.

Receiving the cheque were Joanne Mavis, KDH Foundation ED (left) and Margret Norenberg, KDH Foundation Board Chair (right).

Emcee and (Past Grand) Knight, Jean LeClair, presented a $4,000 cheque for the KDH Foundation’s CT Scanner Campaign from the Knights of Columbus 5333 at the “Sweetheart Brunch”, February 11, 2024.

On February 6, 2024, the Kiwanis Club of Manotick donated $10,000 to the KDH Foundation’s CT Scanner Campaign.

(l-r) Robert Lauder, Lt. Gov., Kiwanis, Division 13 and Past President, Kiwanis Club of Pembroke, Dean Usher, KDH Foundation Director, Margret Norenberg, KDH Foundation Board Chair and Gary Coulombe, Co-President, Kiwanis Club of Manotick.

In January 2024, Jean Lambert of the Bishop’s Mills Women Involved, (left) presented Kristy Carriere, KDH Foundation Coordinator, with a cheque for $419 for the KDH Foundation’s CT Scanner Campaign.

On December 12, 2023, Royal Canadian Legion Kemptville Branch 212 donated the proceeds from the 2023 Poppy Drive to the KDH Foundation's CT Scanner Campaign.

(l-r) Hester Horricks, Branch Secretary, Aubrey Callan, Branch Service Officer and Julie O’Brien, Branch Immediate Past President, presented a $2,500 cheque to Margret Norenberg, KDH Foundation Board Chair and Joanne Mavis, KDH Foundation ED.

Who knew that a fun, little idea would bring a donation to the Kemptville District Hospital (KDH) Foundation CT Scanner Crossroads Campaign, while also memorializing a recently deceased friend and curler?

Nancy Lebrun and Christiane Charron, members of the North Grenville Curling Club and organizers of the Monday Afternoon Women’s Curling League, instituted a $2 toll for each time a curler would “hog a rock”. (This meant the stone did not reach the far hog line and was removed from play.) With the end of the curling season, on March 25, Nancy and Christiane presented Kristy Carriere, KDH Foundation Coordinator, with a cheque for $377 in memory of Kim Ferris, a (past) member of the Monday afternoon Women's Curling League.

Kim’s husband, Robert, wrote a comment on Facebook, “Thank you ladies. Kim would have loved it!”  

Lebrun clarified, “it was not all ‘hogged rocks’. Tuesday evening Ladies League and members pitched in extra coins.”

Peggy MacPhail also commented on the Foundation’s Facebook page, “Leave it to a curling club to always do something good for the community. Bravo!”

Thank you everyone at the North Grenville Curling Club for your kind, memorial donation. We are another step closer to bringing a CT Scanner to KDH.

For more information, stories and events about the Crossroads CT Scanner $2.2 Million Campaign, including how you can donate, visit The Crossroads Campaign.

North Grenville Monday Afternoon Women’s Curling League donated $377 to the CT Scanner Crossroads Campaign in memory of their fellow curler, Kim Ferris.

KDH Foundation Board Chair, Margret Norenberg, along with Kristy Carriere, KDH Foundation Coordinator, were delighted to receive a donation for the CT Scanner Crossroads Campaign from Josh Kardish, Senior Vice President of eQuinelle Homes Ltd. Supporting charitable endeavours in eQuinelle communities aligns with the company’s mission to enhance lives by crafting exceptional places to live, work and play and their commitment to do what is right. "For every eQ Home built in eQuinelle, a contribution will be made to the KDH Foundation". Thank you!

Chief of Staff, Dr. Colin Sentongo and KDH Foundation Board Chair, Margret Norenberg, were delighted to receive a gift of $50,000 for the CT Scanner Crossroads Campaign from Mary Taggart, on behalf of the Taggart Parkes Foundation which is committed to fostering healthy communities, with an emphasis on improving health care services. Dr. Sentongo expressed his deep appreciation, “The entire Medical Staff thanks you for this gift!” 

The Mountain and District Lions Club has generously donated $25,000 to the KDH Foundation CT Scanner Crossroads Campaign. Margret Norenberg, KDH Foundation Chair (left) and Frank Vassallo, KDH CEO (right) were very pleased to receive the gift from Lions member, Nathan Lang, at their March Lions Club meeting. Thank you, Mountain Lions, for your wonderful Campaign support!

Kemptville Mount Zion 28 Masonic Lodge hosted their 45^th Wild Game Dinner on February 24 at the North Grenville Municipal Centre. The evening included a $2,000 cheque presentation to the Kemptville District Hospital (KDH) Foundation CT Scanner Crossroads Campaign, with a five-year pledge of $10,000. Attending the event were Foundation Executive Director, Joanne Mavis, and Kristy Carriere, Foundation Co-ordinator, who were delighted to receive this donation and commitment to the $2.2 million Campaign. KDH urgently needs this diagnostic tool which will bring better and faster patient care closer to home.

Within the Masonic fraternity, members, known as Brothers, strive to charitably support and care for their fellow members and their community.

Also attending this popular, sold-out event were MP Michael Barrett, MPP Steve Clark and Mayor Nancy Peckford.

For more information, stories and events about the Crossroads CT Scanner $2.2 Million Campaign, including how you can donate.

Kristy Carriere, Coordinator, Kemptville District Hospital Foundation, was delighted to recently welcome visitors to the office who were bearing gifts. Representatives from the Bishop’s Mills Women Involved and the Kemptville Men’s Choir brought donations from their two respective events - a “non-auction” and a Christmas concert. These donations will help the Foundation move towards the $2.2 million goal to purchase the CT Scanner for the Kemptville District Hospital (KDH).

Bishop’s Mills Women Involved member, Jeanne Lambert, explained that the group, presently with 10 members, has been around since 1985. It holds monthly meetings and helps build community in a variety of ways including a charity auction which has been held each December for decades. During the pandemic lockdowns, the group hosted a “non-auction” where members could make a financial donation rather than bring food or items for sale. From this effort, they chose to donate $419 to the CT Scanner Campaign. Jeanne, an RN, said, “the women all agreed that we will need - or have already needed - a CT Scanner closer to home.”

Kristy Carriere, KDH Foundation Coordinator, (middle) receives a cheque from the Kemptville Men’s Choir Christmas Concert for the CT Scanner Crossroads Campaign. At the Foundation office presentation, (l-r) Beverly McArthur, Choir Director, Kristy, and choir members, Chris Morgan, Howie Godwin and Don Krull

In a conversation with Chris Morgan, organizer of the Kemptville Men’s Choir, he explained that when his group considered where they would like to make a charitable donation, the need for a CT Scanner stood out to them as an important benefit for the entire Kemptville and North Grenville community.

“We are doing our little to help. Besides, we enjoyed performing (at the Christmas Concert) and it was a bonus to pass the basket around to the audience. We were surprised it brought in $1,025!”

Joanne Mavis, Foundation Executive Director, along with Kristy, were grateful to receive the donations.

Mavis said, “this is the hospital’s current crossroad to bring the CT Scanner to Kemptville. It really is an urgently needed diagnostic tool. It will bring better and faster patient care closer to home and will support patients today and tomorrow, including your family, friends and yourself.”

For more information, stories and events about the Crossroads CT Scanner $2.2 Million Campaign, including how you can donate, see: The Crossroads Campaign

For more information regarding Bishops Mills Women’s Women Involved please contact Jeanne: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. and/or the Kemptville Men’s Choir, contact Chris: 613-258-7559. Both groups welcome new members.

First published in Manotick Messenger
February 23, 2024
By Ralph Tweedie, Manotick Kiwanis Club

Are you aware how convenient the Kemptville District Hospital (KDH) is? The KDH catchment area runs from the St. Lawrence River to parts of Barrhaven. Manotick is just 22 minutes from KDH. It’s closer than the Ottawa General campus, about the same time to the Civic, and a little farther than the Queensway Carleton but with less traffic problems and possibly quicker access to emergency services. In fact, the Manotick area is the 3rd largest user of emergency services at KDH.

KDH has been a community hospital since 1960, the same year the Kiwanis Club of Manotick was chartered. For some of the nurses it‘s a family affair. Their mothers were nurses at the KDH before them. Over the years, KDH developed many clinics to deal with specific health problems, including Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD), Plastic surgery and Dermatology. Regional programs have grown to include Total Joint Replacement, specialist clinical programs, outpatient surgery, etc.  The most recent is the Heart Stress Test Clinic which opened one and a half years ago.  They also provide an expanding list of education and wellness programs for the community.

They do have an urgent need however. The Emergency Department is open 24 hours a day, 365 days a year. As the shortage of family physicians for primary care becomes more acute, communities turn to hospital ERs and clinics for basic medical needs and referrals. As a result, the problems presented to an ER department can be much more complex than in the past and often multiple issues are in play.

The requirement is for swift, accurate and detailed analysis of the health issues. The solution: computed topography scans (CT scans). CT scans are much more accurate than x-rays and have revolutionized how doctors approach cases. They are particularly useful in emergency situations where time is of the essence.

Currently if a patient at KDH requires a CT scan he is taken to an Ottawa hospital ER. This ties up ambulances which can be urgently required elsewhere as well as reducing the time advantage. A modern ER cannot function efficiently and as effectively without a CT scanner.

The KDH has taken steps to acquire a CT scanner. Funds have been secured to build the needed infrastructure and construction is scheduled to begin March 2024. The KDH Foundation has launched The Crossroads Campaign to raise $2.2 million dollars to acquire a CT Scanner. It has already collected over $800,000.

In the past 20 years the Kiwanis Club of Manotick has donated a total of $4,600 to the KDH. This year we are very proud to announce a donation of $10,000 to The Crossroads Campaign. KDH has made a $250,000 down payment and the scanner is on order.

We are not alone in our local support of the Kemptville hospital. Half of all donors to the hospital are from outside Kemptville. Of those, more than 60% are from Manotick, Osgoode, and the surrounding area, surely proof of how important this hospital is to our community health.

For more information, or to make a donation visit our donation platform or call 613 408 0086.

Towards the end of 2023, MNP LLP Ottawa (Accounting, Business Consulting and Tax Services) decided to create a Community Fund and asked its Partners to suggest causes of interest. One of the Partners, Shawn Mincoff - also a Kemptville District Hospital (KDH) Board Director - strongly suggested that they donate to the KDH CT Scanner Crossroads $2.2 million Campaign. He said, “I was very proud to get my Partners involved as the hospital is important to me.” To his surprise and making the donation perhaps even more compelling, one of his colleagues shared that he had his knee surgery done at KDH.

Mincoff added, “KDH offers great services and is always ready to take care of us.”

He believes that we cannot forget the needs of our community and hopes this $15,000 donation from the MNP LLP Community Fund will add momentum to the CT Scanner Campaign.

The cheque was presented by Mincoff along with MNP LLP Partners, Natalie Schuler and Kayla Seipp, to Margret Norenberg, KDH Foundation Chair, Frank Vassallo, KDH CEO and Kristy Carriere, KDH Foundation Coordinator.

Kathy Botham of YourTV speaks with Joanne, Foundation Executive Director and Lynne from the Kemptville District Hospital Foundation about their fundraising efforts to purchase a CT Scanner for KDH.