Back row (left to right): Desert Cove fundraising team: Jim Horsford (who passed away a few days after this photo was taken), Chris Meisner, Bill Versluis, Bob Cox, Mike Hovde) and Brad Callihoo (VJHF Board) Front row (left to right): Kate McBrearty (VJHF executive director), Marilyn Richardson (president, Desert Cove Homeowners Association; Cecile Zandbergen, treasurer, Desert Cove Homeowners Association) (photo credit: VJH Foundation)

By Pete McIntyre

Light A Bulb

‘Phenomenal’ support for VJH fundraiser, over $600K raised

Jan 25, 2024 | 10:35 AM

Vernon Jubilee Hospital will be getting updated equipment to better serve its users thanks to the generosity of residents and businesses in the area.

The VJH Hospital Foundation announced Thursday that the 2023 Light a Bulb campaign raised $608,000 in November and December which will be used to purchase a state-of-the-art X-ray machine to provide patients with faster access to diagnostics.

“The community support has just been phenomenal,” VJH Foundation President and Light a Bulb Campaign Chair, Michael Kinghorn said. “Thanks to our community and very generous donors, we’re able to bring urgently needed equipment to VJH, which will make a lasting difference to people that need it the most.”

Light a Bulb has been running for more than 30 years and helps to support projects that are of greatest need for the hospital. In addition to purchasing the new X-ray machine, the foundation has also committed to fund the renovation of the space where it will be housed.

X-rays play an essential role helping physicians assess, diagnose and treat patients. VJH’s Imaging Department is one of the busiest in the Interior, performing more than 45,000 X-rays annually. Despite working seven days a week, wait times can still be up to four weeks.

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“By expanding our medical imaging capacity, we are ensuring that more people have access to the best standard of care,” Dr. Adam Weathermon, former department head of Imaging at VJH, said “A new X-ray machine and enhanced space means better, faster care for thousands more people in our region each year.”

The success of this year’s Light a Bulb was given a huge boost by an outpouring of generosity on Giving Tuesday on Nov. 28. Thanks to a combined $50,000 matching donation from Grizzly Curb & Concrete and Linda & Gord Ball, donors in the North Okanagan were able to have their gifts matched up to $50,000 – kick-starting a wave of giving that continued through to the end of Light a Bulb.

“It’s been truly remarkable watching over the past eight weeks how our community has come together and rallied to support healthcare. I often say that every gift, no matter the amount, makes a difference” Kinghorn added. “Donations from community groups, local companies and individuals made this year’s Light a Bulb one of our most successful fundraisers ever.”

The Desert Cove Homeowners Association has been a longstanding supporter of Light a Bulb, donating more than $35,000 over the years. Jim Horsford, who is shown at the far left in this article’s photo, was a beloved member of the Desert Cove community and a driving force behind the association’s fundraising efforts, earning him the much deserved title of ‘Lead Elf’.

“To the great sadness of the Desert Cove community, and the VJH Foundation, we lost Jim in late December, just days after he joined us to celebrate the association’s 2023 Light a Bulb donation. We honour his memory and his spirit of community support, and thank everyone who has worked hard to give back to our community,” a news release from the foundation said.