A relentlessly rainy day didn’t halt Tofino’s charitable spirit from shining through on Friday, April 20 as Shelter Restaurant opened its doors for the fourth annual Tofino General Hospital Foundation fundraiser.
The event garnered over $60,000 for new hospital equipment, including: three new stretchers, a vital signs monitor, a sara stedy, a bariatric wheelchair, and a PanOptic ophthalmoscope.
“You always have to be updating this equipment. The older stretchers are hard to manoeuver. These ones are modern and up-to-date,” said Hospital Foundation chair Arlene McGinnis.
Long Beach Lodge made a generous contribution of $10,000. Shelter staff volunteered their time and the restaurant itself donated the three-course meal and the bar revenue.
“I don’t know how Shelter can do any better. They are friendly, they are courteous, they love what they are doing,” praised McGinnis.
Shelter owner Jay Gildenhuys said the event brings the community together.
“Everyone is so committed that’s why it’s so successful,” he said. “Everyone volunteers for it. It’s a real team effort. From day one, no one has ever questioned it.”
Once again, Mike Jacobsen, former Shelter general manager, was the master of ceremonies.
“The monies that have been raised at this event have been used. The ultrasound the doctors use on the daily,” said Jacobsen.
“The equipment that we’ve purchased through this event has helped people provide better care and that’s really what it’s all about. Until we can get a better hospital, we can provide better care and that’s why we want to raise money,” he said.
Tofino restaurant owner Jeff Mikus is a longtime supporter of the hospital fundraiser.
“The hospital is so important. It’s such a great night. It all goes to a good cause,” said Mikus.
When asked if the West Coast is in need of a new hospital, Mikus said that while the present hospital is fine, the town would definitely benefit from a larger facility.
“We are growing. We’ve probably outgrown what we have here. It needs an upgrade. We’re probably getting to the end of the lifespan of that hospital,” he said.
Gildenhuys had a similar outlook.
“The community is growing and it’s going to continue to grow. We have a lot of older people in the community, we have a lot of young families, we have a lot of young kids so just having more services and updating the hospital overall I think it would be a worthwhile investment,” Gildenhuys said.
McGinnis said Tofino needs to get on the priority list for a new hospital.
The small emergency room, the small waiting room, and the awkward ambulance entrance are some of the challenges the Tofino General Hospital struggles with, notes McGinnis. Its current bricks and mortar are over 60 years old.
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