Foundation turns 40

This is the 40th year of the South Okanagan Similkameen Medical Foundation, and we would like to take this opportunity to thank all past and current board directors who have freely and generously given the gift of the time, talent and financial support.

Because of their commitment to making our communities more responsive and better equipped to enhance patient experience, we continue to build on their foundational work.

We fund many outstanding projects throughout the South Okanagan-Similkameen and are only able to do so because of the support of our partner communities and the champions that so generously give to the foundation. Together, we bring about necessary and impactful changes through new equipment, meaningful programming and patient-centered research.

We would also like to take this opportunity to introduce our 2021-22 board of directors: chair Peter Steele; vicechair Ryan Mahaffy; past-chair Gerry Ryan; and treasurer Tara Vanden Pol. The directors at large are Mark Bowland, Pat Hampson, Gar Hatton, Ron Hovanes, Henry King, Dr. Chris Little, Heather Palberg, Ramesh Rikhi, James Smirle, and Lorraine Unruh.

We would also like to thank Judy Jefferies, Susan Keyes, Ellen Walker-Matthews and Nancy Leardo as they complete their service on the board.

We appreciate all they have contributed. Our team at the foundation continues to be strong, with many familiar faces in new roles, including Lissette Little, who was promoted to director of development, and Lisa Barkman, who was promoted to executive assistant to the CEO. Marybeth Zelent remains our outstanding café manager and we continue to appreciate the video-making expertise of Peter Verge.

Tracey Dueck is the newest member of our team, joining us as director of finance, and brings over two decades of local accounting experience.

Established as the Penticton Regional Hospital Medical Foundation in 1981, the vision was to improve the quality of health care through fundraising for critical capital equipment.

An enlightened group, they also recognized that an organization is only as strong as the people entrusted to deliver care.

Therefore, our founders also included in their mandate the provisions for staff education, knowing that investing in education and engagement was key to quality health service.

Thanks to their commitment, the SOS Medical Foundation expanded geographically over the years and now provides funding throughout the South Okanagan-Similkameen, and this is only possible because of the generosity of all our community partners.

Curious to find out more about today’s SOS Medical Foundation?

Please visit us either through our web site, www.sosmedicalfoundation.com, or find us on Facebook, LinkedIn and Instagram.