Pictured here presenting the donation is Maureen Bakewell, Marguerite Santone, Janna Hotson – DRDH President and CEO, Eileen Burke – Auxiliary President, Judith Cloutier, Patricia Clouthier, and William Willard – DRDH Executive Vice President and CFO
DRDH Auxiliary Announces $157,000 in Donations at AGM
The Deep River and District Health Auxiliary announced $157,000 in donations at its Annual General Meeting and Luncheon held on May 7, 2026. The event brought together Auxiliary volunteers, DRDH leadership, and team members to celebrate another year of remarkable volunteerism and community support that continues to strengthen healthcare services across the region.
This year’s donations will support several important initiatives at DRDH and Four Seasons Lodge. The largest contributions include $50,000 toward the creation of a secure medication storage room in the Emergency Department, featuring swipe-card access, enhanced medication dispensing space, and upgraded security measures, as well as $50,000 for the replacement of patient lifts across the Medical Floor and Four Seasons Lodge to support safe patient handling and staff safety.
The Auxiliary also continued its longstanding support of the Preschool Speech and Language Program with a $17,000 donation, helping ensure children throughout the region have access to essential early intervention services.
In addition, the Auxiliary committed $40,000 toward the future replacement of the hospital’s mammography machine, a critical diagnostic tool for the community. The current equipment is approaching end of life, and the donation marks the beginning of fundraising efforts for the approximately $600,000 replacement project.
During the meeting, DRDH President and CEO Janna Hotson and Executive Vice-President and CFO William Willard presented updates on the new Four Seasons Lodge long-term care home currently under construction. Attendees were shown progress photos and building plans for the modern facility, which will enhance long-term care services for the region. They also shared plans to repurpose the current Four Seasons Lodge building into a new three-bed hospice space, bringing hospice care services to Deep River and surrounding communities.
In her annual report, Auxiliary President Eileen Burke thanked volunteers and executive members for their continued dedication and support throughout the year. The Auxiliary also recognized several milestones and community initiatives from the past year, including participation in the grand opening of the new Family Health Team building and contributions to a library display celebrating the hospital’s 50 years of service.
From April 1, 2025, to March 31, 2026, Auxiliary volunteers contributed an impressive 14,795 hours supporting the Whistle Stop, Gift Shop, Palliative Care, Four Seasons Lodge, and Auxiliary Executive activities.
Since its founding in 1974, the DRDH Auxiliary has donated more than $2 million and contributed hundreds of thousands of volunteer hours in support of healthcare in the region. DRDH extends sincere thanks to every Auxiliary member for the essential role they play in enhancing care and improving the patient experience throughout the community.