Gala to celebrate Hospital’s 100th

The 100th year of the Tillsonburg District Memorial Hospital (TDMH) and TDMH Volunteer Association will be celebrated with several events through the year, but the big one will be the “A Century of Caring Gala” on May 10. From the left, Loralee Heemskerk, Gerry Dearing and Nadia Facca, hold tickets for the event, which will be available from the TDMH and TDMH Foundation offices. (Jeff Helsdon Photo).

By Jeff Helsdon

Editor

A big gala is being planned to celebrate the 100th year of Tillsonburg District Memorial Hospital (TDMH).

A Century of Caring Gala – An Evening of Storytelling is planned for Saturday, May 10 in the Lion’s Auditorium of the Tillsonburg Community Centre. Organized by TDMH,  the TDMH Volunteer Association and the TDMH Foundation, the evening will feature a delectable meal followed by storytelling about the hospital.

“We are super excited to host this event. It’s an opportunity to come together and celebrate this incredible milestone for our hospital and the volunteer association,” said Loralee Heemskerk, a retired employee who is the is the co-lead of the organizing committee for the gala with TDMH Foundation Executive Director Gerry Dearing.

Tillsonburg businessman John Smith’s foresight was responsible for building the hospital. A former town mayor, he bequeathed the land where the hospital sits in his will and it was opened in 1925 as the Tillsonburg Soldiers’ Memorial Hospital.

“He saw the need for a facility to care for the sick,” said Nadia Facca, Integrated President and CEO of Alexandra Hospital Ingersoll and TDMH.

The name was changed to Tillsonburg District Memorial Hospital in the 1950s during an expansion. Many expansions and renovations have taken place over the years. TDMH is now a 50-bed acute care hospital with a full emergency department, ambulatory care, complex continuing care, general surgery, orthopaedic surgery and diagnostic services.

The TDMH Volunteer Association was also founded in 1925.

“The volunteers are integral members of our health care team,” Facca said. “We are very fortunate for 100 years of dedication of volunteers at our hospital!.”

Heemskerk said the gala will start with a complementary 100th year celebratory drink and appetizers. Chrissy’s Catering will deliver a meal sure to taunt the tastebuds with various food stations, including pasta, seafood and a protein station with beef tenderloin, chicken and lamb served with roasted and garlic mashed potatoes.

Kelly Spender, a lifelong resident, town councillor and daughter of former TDMH President and CEO Jim Spencer, will be the emcee for an evening of storytelling. Heemskerk said the guest speakers affiliated with the hospital will “share heart-warming stories about their community hospital and what it means to them.”

Display tables and poster boards will highlight the hospital’s history and add a bit of nostalgia to the evening.

“It’s an evening to celebrate our past, present and future of TDMH, as well as our dedicated team members, physicians and volunteers,” Facca said.

Tickets for the 19-plus event are $120, with a $50 income tax receipt issued to the purchaser. Tickets can be purchased through the hospital and foundation administration offices. Heemskerk said there are only 200 tickets available and they are going fast.

Facca said proceeds from the evening will go to the hospital’s bed replacement program and other high priority equipment needs. The bed replacement program is the focus of the foundation’s ‘100 for 100’ Campaign 2025. This donation campaign is seeking one donor at $100,000, 10 donors at $10,000, 100 donors at $1,000 and 1,000 donors at $100. All donors will become members of the ‘100 for 100 Club’, and a list of club members will be on permanent display in the hospital.

“The bed replacement is a physical need so we are focusing on those,” Facca said. A single medical-surgical hospital bed costs $17,000. Intensive care (specialty) beds cost around $50,000 each.

The 100th year celebrations started with TDMH being the charity of choice for the Oxford Hills Holiday Market in December. The Copper Mug hosted a Winter Warmer Evening in January. An internal birthday bash was held for team members and volunteers in March.  A special event for TDMH volunteers will be held in April. A tent highlighting a century of TDMH and the TDMH Volunteer Association will be set up at the foundation’s Taste of Summer event on May 31.

Facca and Heemskerk encouraged the public to share their tales of the hospital on social media using #TDMH100Years #TDMHVolunteers100years