A new thermometer sign unveiled at the three-way stop in Barry’s Bay is putting a big community goal on display: $2.15 million for local healthcare by 2028.
The St. Francis Valley Healthcare Foundation recently unveiled the new sign as it launches a community-wide effort to help address critical healthcare needs at St. Francis Memorial Hospital, Valley Manor and Madawaska Valley Hospice Palliative Care.
Shown above from left: Valley Manor Administrator Cathy Borutski, SFVHF Board Director and major gifts team member Pat Pilgrim, St. Francis Memorial Hospital (SFMH) President and CEO Suzanne Madore, SFVHF Executive Director Erin Gienow, SFVHF Board Chair Cheryl Reid, SFVHF Board Treasurer Shawn Gregory, SFMH Integrated VP – Clinical Programs and Ambulatory Care Sherri Cope, SFMH Integrated VP – Capital Planning, infrastructure and Environmental Services/COO Greg McLeod, Madawaska Valley Hospice Palliative Care (MVHPC) Clinical Director Dylaina Wood, MVHPC Administrative Assistant Stephany Yaskolskie, SFVHF major gifts team member Bob Howe, and Valley Manor Board Vice Chair Karen Pietrangelo. (Photo submitted)
The goal is ambitious, but the need is clear.
Healthcare in our community takes many forms. It may mean visiting St. Francis Memorial Hospital when you need diagnostic testing or emergency care. It may mean calling Valley Manor home. Or it may mean receiving compassionate care and support through Madawaska Valley Hospice Palliative Care during some of life’s most difficult moments.
While each organization provides a different kind of care, they share something important: they are all here for our community.
Critical needs found at all local healthcare facilities
By 2028, the Foundation’s healthcare partners have identified approximately $2.15 million in critical needs.
At St. Francis Memorial Hospital, $1.77 million has been identified for priorities including a new X-ray unit, an automatic dispensing unit, patient beds and other essential equipment.
At Valley Manor, $250,000 will support needs including therapeutic bathtubs, laundry equipment, resident furnishings and activities that contribute to residents’ comfort, care and quality of life.
And at Madawaska Valley Hospice Palliative Care, $130,000 will support important programs and services, including volunteer training, bereavement support and caregiver support.
While the needs are different, the goal is the same: to help ensure patients, residents and families can access quality healthcare close to home.
The St. Francis Valley Healthcare Foundation serves as a bridge between donors and its three healthcare partners, helping fund essential equipment, capital projects, programs and services. Government funding alone does not fully cover the cost of delivering and maintaining local healthcare. Equipment wears out, technology evolves and patient needs grow.
Support from Valley residents makes a big difference
Community support has already made a significant difference.
Over the past five years, donors have contributed more than $5.7 million to support critical healthcare initiatives. Their generosity has helped make projects and purchases possible across all three organizations, including an advanced mammography machine at St. Francis Memorial Hospital, enhanced volunteer training and bereavement support at Madawaska Valley Hospice Palliative Care, and a new oven range for Valley Manor’s dietary department.
Now, the thermometer at the three-way stop will serve as a visible reminder of what the community is working toward together: $2.15 million by 2028.
Donors can choose to support one of the three healthcare partners, while unrestricted gifts to local healthcare provide the greatest flexibility, allowing the Foundation to respond to emerging needs and direct support where it is needed most.
“This goal reflects what we can achieve when our community comes together in support of local healthcare,” says Erin Gienow, Executive Director of the St. Francis Valley Healthcare Foundation. “Together, we can help local healthcare thrive, today and for the future.”
For more information, visit www.sfvhfoundation.com or call 613-756-3045 x 217 today.
Hudder,C.,SFVHF(2026,Oct.5) New thermometer tracks $2.15-Million healthcare goal [media release]