Six regional hospitals are getting a boost thanks to the 2008 International Plowing Match.
The Owen Sound Hospital was the biggest beneficiary receiving 200 thousand dollars from the I-P-M committee at yesterdays news conference at the Teeswater Community Centre.
Hospitals in Kincardine, Walkerton, and Wingham each received 75 thousand dollars.
40 thousand dollars was handed to the Chesley Hospital while 35 thousand went to the Hanover and District Hospital.
Paul Weitendorf — Executive Director of the Grey Bruce Regional Health Centre Foundation — says the 200 thousand dollar donation will go towards the purchase of a new nuclear medicine camera.
He says his Foundation is currently raising funds to buy the 700 thousand dollar camera and the donation is a giant step forward towards reaching that..
Gregg McClelland — Vice-President of the Kincardine Community Health Care Foundation — says the money will help pay off the remainder of the 300 thousand-dollar mammography machine they purchased last year.
He says they will also use some of that money to pay for an infant transporter and a new surgical table.
He says they bought the transporter after someone at the hospital gave birth to twins over the Christmas holidays.
McClelland says the total for all three came out to 78 thousand dollars.
He says they never dreamt that they would get enough money to pay for all of things they wanted.
Mary Lou Cameron — Chair of the Wingham and District Hospital Foundation — says their hospital will used the money for an outpatient ultrasound machine for their emergency department.
She says this unit will be wonderful as they continue to recruit new doctors and health care professionals.
The Walkerton hospital will use their money towards a new mammography unit, the Hanover hospital is getting an ultrasound machine, and the Chesley hospital plans to purchase 4 ceiling lifts and a blood-fluid warmer.
2008 I-P-M Spokeperson Cheryl Leifso says the 2008 International Plowing Match made over 800 thousand dollars with 500 thousand going towards local health care groups.
She says the committee invited each of the groups to come in and submit their requests at a February 2nd meeting.
She says they were able to work together with the foundations and pick out what fit their needs and their budgets.
All of the Foundations representatives say the money they got was more than they originally thought they would receive.
Weitendorf says it is a fabulous legacy for a very successful I-P-M.