Florence Nightingale Home Foundation donates $4,000 to Kincardine hospital foundation

The Kincardine and Community Health Care Foundation is $4,000 richer, thanks to a donation by the Florence Nightingale Home Foundation, part of the Order of the Eastern Star.

The donation was made Monday afternoon at the South Bruce Grey Health Centre, Kincardine hospital.

Margaret Lynn of Whitby, secretary-treasurer of the Nightingale foundation, thanked the members of the Bruce Chapter, No. 253, of the Eastern Star, for making the request.

"The last time a presentation was made to this hospital was in 1985, and two warming cupboards were donated," she said. Joining her to make the donation were foundation vice-president Lois Goodall of Woodstock, and directors Jean Lee of Pickering (past Grand Matron of the Grand Chapter of Ontario) and Karen Lumley of Harrow.

Lynn said the donations date back to 1913 at a meeting of a Florence Nightingale chaper in Brockville. A $5 gold coin was donated with the stipulation that upon the formation of a Grand Chapter in Ontario, that sum would be donated to start a fund for an Eastern Star Home.

The Grand Chapter of Ontario was organized in 1915 and further donations were received. Eventually, a home was purchased in Agincourt and dedicated in 1928, with the first residents being orphaned children of Eastern Star and Masonic families.

In later years, social agencies looked after these children and the home was changed to a residence for older members of the Order. Again, with increasing help from social agencies, the members were being looked after in other facilities, and it was decided to sell the home in 1975 as it was no longer a viable operation.

The sale realized $310,000, said Lynn, and with prudent investments, the sum increased to $582,000 in 1982. In 1985, the Florence Nightingale Home Foundation was formed for the disbursement of these funds.

"These presentations are made solely from the income generated on the capital, together with donations from our membership, less operating expenses, and we are pleased to say that we are able to make six presentations this year," said Lynn.

Other presentations were made in Cornwall, Strathroy and Tillsonburg, with further presentations in Georgetown and Kingston.

"At the end of June, we will have made 230 hospital presentations," said Lynn. "The province is divided into districts, and Kincardine is in District 8. This district has now received a total of 17 presentations, totalling about $77,560."

Accepting on behalf of the hospital foundation, were director Dianne MacArthur, and co-ordinator Diane Baldwin, and South Bruce Grey Health Centre chief nursing official Kate Kincaid.