Heart of Gold guests on the terrace of the O’Rourke Family Estate Winery in Lake Country. (Photo credit: KGH Foundation)

By Vernon Matters Staff

held at winery

Gala raises record breaking $1.6 million for hospital

Sep 12, 2022 | 9:45 AM

The Kelowna General Hospital (KGH) Foundation’s Heart of Gold gala returned this past weekend, and by all accounts, it was one to remember.

By the end of the evening Saturday, Sept. 10, a record $1.6 million had been raised to help establish a Centre of Excellence in Brain Health at Kelowna General Hospital.

“It is an area of health care that is vitally important,” said Allison Ramchuk, CEO of the KGH Foundation. “Neurodegenerative diseases such as Parkinson’s, ALS, Alzheimer’s and dementia are devastating to those who are suffering, and their families. KGH is now home to some very bright and ambitious neurologists. We have an opportunity to establish KGH as a hub for world-class research, innovation and most critically, delivery of care close to home for those in our region who are living with, or will develop, these diseases.”

Heart of Gold title sponsor, Tom Budd (right), with Irene and Al Hildebrandt. (Photo credit: KGH Foundation)

It has been four years since the last Heart of Gold gala, which took place in a parking lot that would become the location of JoeAnna’s House. Over $1.2 million was raised that evening. JoeAnna’s House will celebrate its three-year anniversary in November.

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This time, the Heart of Gold committee secured a location that could easily rival some of the greatest event venues in the world. Guests were treated to a very special ‘sneak peek’ of the new O’Rourke Family Estate Winery in Lake Country.

“It was perfect,” said Lynn Archibald, the Creative Director for the event for the past 14 years. “The theme this year was ‘Pushing Boundaries’, and that is exactly what we are all doing.”

Speaking at the event, Dr. Devin Harris, Executive Medical Director, Quality, Patient Safety and Research for Interior Health and an Emergency physician at KGH reflected, “We have learned many things over the past two years. It’s time to support the overall sustainability of our health system, including the extraordinary people working in it, if we hope to move past the challenges we are facing.”

Drawing from his own personal story, the gala’s title sponsor, Tom Budd, of the Thomas Alan Budd Foundation, shared, “In the past, giving has been my lifeline. Even as I face so much uncertainty in my own life, I hold on to faith that if we just give more than we take, we have a life worth living.”

“We are grateful for every single person in the room, and especially to those who gave so generously. It’s time for a bold commitment to pushing boundaries, to doing things differently, and we can’t do it without the support of our community,” said Ramchuk.