Carp’s KE Electrical is ‘in the picture’ for Almonte General Hospital’s diagnostic imaging campaign

Carp’s KE Electrical is ‘in the picture’ for Almonte General Hospital’s diagnostic imaging campaign

Feb 4, 2019

Gord Kemp started his electrical business in 1994 with two employees and a half-ton truck.  Now 25 years later, the company has grown to close to 150 employees, has changed names to KE Electrical and Kemp has two partners who joined him in 2011.  The owners attribute the success of the company to their dedicated employees and pride themselves on having that ‘family’ company feel. Kemp along with partners Peter Richard, currently of Aylmer, PQ, and Abe Wall of Lanark, made a corporate donation of $10,000 to the Almonte General Hospital Fairview Manor Foundation on behalf of the company and their employees. The funds are in support of the Hospital’s drive to purchase new diagnostic imaging equipment and bring a CT scan to the Hospital as well.  Each of the partners had their own reason for supporting the campaign.

For Wall, it made sense because Almonte has been his family’s Hospital for many years.  His two children were born there and everyone has had to use the Emergency Department at one time or another.

Although Richard doesn’t live in the area, he’s had trips to the Emergency several times over the years, due to the hospital’s proximity to their office.

Kemp has long considered the Almonte hospital, their hospital but having had several grandchildren born there, the attachment has certainly become stronger for him over the years.

KE Electrical is active with other charities as well supporting causes associated with mental health, child poverty, homelessness, and local food banks to name a few. All three businessmen agree that it feels good to be able to give a little back in support of local health care close to home.

KE Electrical is also connected through their CFO, Jesse Lowe (who grew up in Clayton), who sits on the Foundation’s board. The company is very supportive and understanding of his commitments toward the Foundation and the campaign.

To join KE Electric and ‘put yourself or your business in the picture’ call the Foundation at: 613-256-2500, ext. 2297.

Donor Dollars well spent – new operating lights on the Obstetrical Unit

Donor Dollars well spent – new operating lights on the Obstetrical Unit

Dec 6, 2018

When Grayson Cybulski decided to make his entrance on Monday, Dec. 3, mom Lauren McGonigal and dad Josh rushed to the Almonte General Hospital from their home in Arnprior not knowing what the next few hours would hold.  After several hours on the Obstetrics Unit, staff determined that Lauren needed to have a Caesarean section. 

Nurse Heather Clement, Josh Cybulski, Lauren McGonigal and Grayson Cybulski

With Dr. Elliot Cohen handling the operation, Dr. Heather Abramenko looking after anesthesia and nurses Heather Clement, Sherry Scissons and Brooke Guthrie assisting, Grayson was brought into the world safely at 6:24 p.m. The first child for Lauren and Josh.

What the proud parents didn’t know until everyone was safe and well looked after was that they had just become the first family to benefit from the brand new  Surgical Lighting System that had just been installed in the Obstetrics (OBS) operating room.  According to Maureen McLeod Frazer, the Manager of OBS, as well as the Emergency Department and the Operating Room, the 15-year-old lighting system it replaced was beginning to present challenges for the staff.

“The only way to dim or brighten the lights,” said McLeod Frazer, “was for the circulating nurse to do it with switches located on the wall, nowhere near the patient.  The doctor couldn’t do it, which was frustrating.  We had tried to have repairs done but were not successful.  On top of not being able to adjust the brightness, the arm was difficult to lock down so it would occasionally start to shift during the procedure.”  Although these things never compromised the safety of the mother or baby, it was less than optimal for an OBS unit that did over 120 C-sections in 2017.

The new system provides bright, consistent light, adjustable by the physician, and is easier and stable to position.

Mom Lauren remarked that the lights were nice and bright after staff mentioned that it had been their first usage.  “They would have been perfect for a selfie had I not been so busy,” said Lauren jokingly.  As a first time father, dad Josh said he hadn’t noticed at the time.  “I was completely focused on Lauren and the baby.”

The new lights cost almost $28,000 provided through general and Mississippi Mills River Walk and Run donations to the Foundation.  Now that’s donor dollars well spent.

Donor dollars making a difference

Donor dollars making a difference

Nov 1, 2018

Many people are surprised to learn that the provincial government does not fund the purchase of medical equipment.

Each year, senior staff develop a capital budget that outlines the highest priority equipment needs at Almonte General Hospital and at Fairview Manor.  They then turn to the Foundation, the Volunteer Services, the AGH Gift Shop and the Fairview Manor Auxiliary and ask for them to raise funds to meet these urgent needs.

Donor Dollars at Work -Almonte General HospitalRecently, community support has allowed the Hospital and Manor to acquire:
Diagnostic Imaging Workstations
Gynecological Scope
Ceiling Lift at Fairview Manor
PAC Upgrade
Ultrasound for Physiotherapy
Cyrotherapy System
ECG for Med/Surg

Each piece serves an important purpose.  For instance, according to the Manager of Physiotherapy, Patti Morton, ” The ultrasound combo unit is a central piece of equipment for physiotherapy. It is used multiple times daily and is used to promote tissue healing, decrease inflammation, soften scar tissue and relieve blocked milk ducts. The electrotherapy component is invaluable in reducing pain and for promoting muscle contractions both postoperatively and related to neurological conditions such as stroke.”

“The Gynecological Scope is used in the Operating room to remove polyps from the uterus.” said Maureen Frazer McLeod, Manager of ER, OBS and the OR.  “The fluid system ensures a better visualization of the inside of the uterus so that polyps are easily seen and removed safely.”

Thanks to generous individuals, businesses and organizations, the Hospital and Manor are able to purchase much needed equipment like these items to care for our patients and residents. In addition, the Foundation raises funds for major projects such as the diagnostic imaging campaign.

Food Drive for West Carleton Food Bank

Food Drive for West Carleton Food Bank

Oct 3, 2018

As a result of the tornadoes that ravaged West Carleton recently, the Almonte General Hospital Fairview Manor Foundation and the Carleton Place & District Memorial Hospital Foundation are adding a food drive to the Grand Prize Draw of the Car or Ca$h for Health Care raffle taking place this Friday, Oct. 5 at the Almonte Civitan Hall.

Attendees to the draw and community members are encouraged to bring non-perishable food such as coffee, rice, salmon, and canned fruit and tomatoes to the draw event which begins at 5 p.m.  Keith Bean, of Bean Chevrolet, Buick, GMC, will be providing a truck to transport the food donations to the West Carleton Food Bank on Saturday morning, just in time for the Thanksgiving Weekend.

Food donations can also be dropped off at Bean Chevrolet, Buick, GMC in Carleton Place or the Almonte General Hospital on Friday up until 3:30 p.m.

The Grand Prize Draw event for the Car or Ca$h for Health Care raffle will take place at 8 p.m.  Doors open at 5 p.m.  A Ca$h BBQ and bar, performances by Eddy and the Stingrays and vintage cars will round out the evening.  This joint fundraiser for the Carleton Place & District Memorial Hospital Foundation and the Almonte General Hospital Fairview Manor Foundation, features a grand prize choice between a 1967 Pontiac Firebird convertible or $30,000 Ca$h, both donated by Keith Bean.

Tickets for the raffle are $20 for one or three for $50 and are available at Bean Chevrolet, Buick GMC in Carleton Place, the Almonte Hospital Gift Shop, the CPDMH Foundation office, and at Scotiabank in Carleton Place. Entrance to the Grand Prize Draw event is $10 if you already have a raffle ticket and $25 if you don’t (this includes a raffle ticket).

Carp Fair 2018

Carp Fair 2018

Sep 21, 2018

Thanks to all the sponsors that ‘put themselves in the picture’ for the Carp Fair and their local hospital last evening at the Sponsors Dinner.  We have this wonderful gallery to share with you of attendees as they arrived at the dinner.  Each year, the Almonte General Hospital serves thousands of residents of West Carleton so we were very proud to support this annual community celebration.

To learn more about ‘putting yourself in the picture’ in support of the Hospital’s diagnostic imaging campaign to replace the Ultrasound and X-ray machines at the Hospital with digital technology and bring CT scan to the Hospital, something we do not currently have, please click on the link.