Heritage Society Tea returns to celebrate our visionary donors

On June 9, the Foundation of Guelph General Hospital hosted members of the Heritage Society for the 13th annual recognition tea, the first since 2019 due to the pandemic. The event, which took place at the Art Gallery of Guelph, recognizes and celebrates the visionary commitment of those who will leave a planned gift to the Foundation, such as a charitable bequest in their will, or by making The Foundation a beneficiary of a life insurance policy, RRIF or RRSP. The event was an opportunity for current and prospective members to meet and mingle over coffee and tea, and to learn more about current happenings at Guelph General Hospital.

Julie Byczynski, CEO of FGGH, and Mark Walton, President and CEO of GGH, welcomed the group and shared how their legacy gifts will transform health care in our community in the future. Planned gifts will help the hospital keep up with innovations and technology. Julie shared that legacy gifts received in 2022 enabled the Hospital to purchase a state-of-the-art endoscopy tower – an item that it would not otherwise have been able to purchase.

The guest speaker this year was Amanda Krawiec, Elder Life Specialist at GGH. Amanda shared information about the Hospital’s Elder Life Program (HELP) which keeps people physically and cognitively active during their hospital stay. She demonstrated how small but important items funded by our generous community, such as elder care items and wander guards, help her and her team support  our older adult patients.

If you are interested in making a difference to the future of health care in your community by leaving a legacy gift, or if you have already done so, please contact Matt Peltomaki in confidence at 519-837-6440 ext. 2569, or at [email protected]. For more information about the Heritage Society, visit www.gghfoundation.ca/giving-in-wills.

Did you know… gifts received in 2022 from those who made the Foundation a beneficiary in their will helped the Hospital purchase a state-of-the-art endoscopy tower? This tower provides faster, more accurate imaging to prevent, diagnose and treat diseases such as cancer. The Hospital wouldn’t have this item without the generosity and vision of our Heritage Society donors.