For the 15th Thanksgiving in a row, Moose FM’s two Muskoka stations are raising money for our local hospitals.
On Oct. 7, 105.5 Moose FM Huntsville and 99.5 Moose FM Bracebridge will be live from 6:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m., supporting the Huntsville Hospital Foundation (HHF), and South Muskoka Hospital Foundation (SMHF), respectively.
“Any of the hospital equipment that we have, it is from donations from the community,” says Leah Walker, Executive Director of the SMHF. “So we need our community, we rely on our community. We rely on this event every year to make sure we have the equipment and tools that we need at our hospital.”
According to Walker, the proceeds from this year’s Bracebridge radiothon go towards two anesthesia machines for the South Muskoka Memorial Hospital. Walker says each machine costs $90,000, and they’re hoping to fully purchase one of them with the fundraiser.
“It’s for our surgical department, and it is basically what puts you to sleep when you’re going to undergo surgery,” says Walker. “So whether it’s a planned surgery, or an emergency comes in, it’s a very important piece of equipment. Unless you want to be awake for surgery.”
In Huntsville, the radiothon goes towards the HHF’s Focus on Imaging campaign. HHF CEO Katherine Craine says most of the diagnostic imaging department was last upgraded 10 to 15 years ago and needs to be brought up to the times.
“When a doctor reads the diagnostic image they’re able to see better what it is that will be needed to treat the patient,” says HHF CEO Katherine Craine. “So the better the image, the better the diagnosis, and [they can] get to treating that patient and making them better.”
Craine says they’re making good progress on the campaign, which is entering its second year. She adds they’ve already committed to upgrading the hospital’s x-ray suites, mammography, and nuclear medicine suite, as well as buying a new CT scanner.
“We just want to thank the community for their generosity over the years, not only in the radiothon but for all of our events, campaigns, mailings,” says Craine. “Everything we do goes towards making Huntsville Hospital a better place and we want to make sure our physicians and our nurses get the technology they need.”
Moose FM’s Cottage Country Cluster Manager, Jenny Faulkner, says we are so proud to host this annual event– especially leading into a weekend to be thankful and to celebrate family and friends.
“We’re excited to continue supporting both Muskoka’s hospital sites with our annual radiothon,” says Faulkner. “Every year, we are just incredibly grateful to have our community partners, volunteers, our clients and, most importantly, our listeners come together to get behind such a worthy cause.”
Walker, Craine, and other representatives from both hospital foundations will be in-studio all day at their respective station.
To make a donation to the South Muskoka Hospital Foundation, visit its donation page or call 705-645-2218.
For the Huntsville Hospital Foundation, visit its website or call 705-789-4756.
***With files from Mathew Reisler