​Superheat employees set goal of $25,000 for Kincardine Hospital capital campaign

Superheat of Kincardine has kick-started an employee fund-raising campaign, “$25,000 in 2025: Imaging a Better Tomorrow,” with a goal of raising $25,000 before the end of the year. That money would go toward the Kincardine Hospital redevelopment campaign and the addition of a new Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI) machine at the hospital.

The campaign, which runs from now to Dec. 12, allows employees to choose a personal donation amount which Superheat will match, up to $100 per employee. To make donating simple and flexible, employees have two options: they can choose a one-time, lump-sum deduction from a specific pay period or spread their donation across the campaign period through incremental payroll deductions.

A unique feature of their program is that employees receive a tax receipt for both their donation and Superheat’s matching amount, effectively doubling the tax benefit.

To support the campaign and keep up momentum, Superheat is also hosting by-donation events, such as “Yoga in the Park” sessions. These are open to all staff and their friends and families, with more community-focused initiatives planned throughout the year to maintain the focus on this initiative.

The idea for the campaign came from Superheat’s chief executive officer, Norm MacArthur, a long-time supporter of local health care.

Superheat’s story began in Kincardine in 2000, and while the company has since grown into a global leader in on-site heat treatment services, it has remained committed to giving back to the community that helped build it. Superheat has a long history of supporting local charitable initiatives and community organizations. However, this marks the first time the company has launched an internal fund-raising campaign of this scale and ambition.

Superheat employs 120 people in Kincardine and approximately 630 worldwide. Since launching the campaign, about 30 per cent of the local employees have already signed up to participate, with hopes to grow that number over the coming months.

Todd Shepperd, director of SmartCenter operations, is one of those supporters.

"From my family's personal experience, an MRI is crucial for early diagnosis and providing ongoing health care,” he says. “Having to drive to another community and sometimes spending a day away from home, can add significant stress to an already stressful situation. Being able to go to a local MRI will be a relief for the families of those who need it. An MRI is an excellent addition to our local health-care system, which will have a positive impact on the community's health and wellness.”

Dylan Sayle is the marketing manager at Superheat and his wife works as a registered nurse at the Kincardine Hospital.

"I’ve heard first-hand how transformative an MRI machine would be for improving patient care, as well as easing staff workloads and supporting safety,” he says. “Having the ability to keep scheduled nurses in the building, rather than deploying them for emergency patient transfers for MRI scans, would make a significant difference to overall operations and care continuity."

When asked why he believes this initiative is important, Sayle says, "To know our team’s efforts are making a lasting impact on the infrastructure that supports critical care for our families, friends, and neighbours, it’s something I’m incredibly proud to be part of."

The goal of this campaign is not only to raise money for the hospital but also to inspire and challenge other businesses to support the local health-care system. The company believes that when businesses invest in their communities, everyone benefits, and would love to see this momentum grow beyond Superheat.

The Kincardine and Community Health Care Foundation has gathered a team of volunteers, led by co-chairpersons Kathryn Freimanis and Graham Mahood. These ambassadors are reaching out to families, community groups and businesses to achieve the $18-million goal of the “Building Health Care for Generations” campaign.

Community members who would like more information, can contact Mark Womack, capital campaign manager, at 519-396-3331, Ext. 4335 or kfcapitalcampaign@outlook.com.