New direction for hospital foundation
Creative events in the works, says newly appointed executive director
Evan Kiyoshi French
Northern News Services
Friday, August 28, 2015
SOMBA K'E/YELLOWKNIFE
The Stanton Territorial Hospital Foundation has a new executive director.
Stanton Territorial Hospital Foundation committee members Tricia MacKenzie, left, and Patty Olexin-Lang, right, join the new foundation executive director Julie Bennett at the CIBC bank Thursday. CIBC is the title sponsor of the foundation's CIBC Run for Our Lives event, recently expanded to include fundraising to support the fight against all cancers. - Walter Strong/NNSL photo |
Julie Bennett, who runs an event planning company in the city but is originally from the Ottawa Valley, said she started working part-time for the foundation on April 15 and became a full-timer about three weeks ago. Bennett said she's excited to begin co-ordinating foundation events, including a partnership with the Northwestel Festival of Giving, and CIBC's Run For Our Lives.
"It's similar to what I've done for my own company," she said. "It's a lot of co-ordination."
Bennett said she's a multi-tasker and detail oriented.
"I've always done co-ordination of some sort," she said. "Right now, I'm getting my feet wet with their layout.
"There are a lot of things on the go."
She said she likes to be creative in planning her events and has some tricks up her sleeve.
"Hopefully down the road I'll get to do more creative events," she said, adding she won't give away what she's planning until it's approved by the foundation's board.
"We'd love the attention once it's approved, because we do have our capital plan coming out in the fall.
The foundation's mission is to raise funds for patient care, equipment and major capital needs at the hospital.
Foundation chair Louise Dundas Matthews said Bennett has a lot on her plate as she gets accustomed to her new position.
"She'll be responsible to manage those capital campaigns," she said. "We raise our money through events. There's two coming up this fall, the Run For Our Lives, in October, and then the Christmas Gala (Northwestel's Festival of Giving)."
Dundas Matthews said more information about the foundation's capital goals for the year in the coming weeks. She said Bennett's first task will be to work with community members to raise money needed to sponsor the events.
"Generally, we have a staff of one," she said. "It's an all-encompassing role. Anything that fundraising organizations would be involved in, including event planning and managing finances."
