SHNB fundraising underway with football star as honorary chair

Fundraising for what goes inside the new Saskatchewan Hospital North Battleford (SHNB) is officially underway with Rueben Mayes declared as the honorary chair of the effort.

The Prairie North Health Region’s Saskatchewan Hospital New Beginnings campaign is launching its fundraising efforts to raise $8,000,000 to furnish and equip the new hospital, which is currently under construction.

The North Battleford-born Mayes had a decorated college and NFL career as a running back, including being named a two-time consensus All-American, being inducted into the National College Hall of Fame, winning the NFL Rookie of the Year in 1986 and being selected into the Pro Bowl twice.

Mayes is currently the Chief Development Officer for the Pullman Regional Hospital in Pullman, Washington and New Beginnings fundraising lead Corinne Delainey said Mayes brings his knowledge and a personal connection to the fundraising campaign.

“This is a personal thing for him. His mom was an employee here (the current SHNB) and it also healed some of his family many years ago. So he feels he’s got a vested interest in the vision and the project as a whole,” Delainey said.

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Delainey explained the provincial government covers the cost of the construction of the actual building, but it is up to Prairie North to pay for what goes inside.

“We need beds, we need chairs and tables, we need a medical lab and a dental clinic and everything in between. Everything from mops and pails to X-ray equipment,” she said.

The new Sask. Hospital is being constructed with the people who use it most in mind and Delainey said the fundraising efforts for what goes inside is no different.

“The hospital itself was designed with the patients and the staff consulted. So a lot of what’s happening out here is based on what they require, need and want,” she said.

Delainey added a lot of the fundraising will be targeted campaigning and there will be fundraising events coming in the future, but she couldn’t give all the details of what the specific events are just yet.

mkelly@jpbg.ca