By Angela Hill

Donation improves lives of Spiritwood residents

Jun 25, 2011 | 7:20 AM

There is new equipment in the Spiritwood and District Health Complex thanks to a donation from a resident of the area.

“It came from a man, a resident of Spiritwood named Frank Koska, and he was a farmer and a bachelor and he felt it was important to contribute back to his community so when he passed he left us this very sizable bequest ,” said Dana Doucette, chairwoman of the Spiritwood Health Complex Foundation.

While the $519,073.45 donation was received last August, the foundation wanted to make sure they would be using the money in the best way possible before making any purchases, she said.

“We’ve invested (a lot) of it … we’ve spent very little. We’re being very careful on what we want to purchase and we want to make sure that it is something that’s going to last.”

After making the investment, the foundation spoke with the director of care at the facility to see what was on her wish list.

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The foundation decided on a number of items for long-term care residents, including slings used to safely transport long-term care residents from one place to another, a new sound system for entertainers, new patio furniture and a housekeeping cart.

Also about $2,500 was combined with a previous donation to purchase a specialty mattress. The Prime Aire Mattress is used on a resident’s bed to help prevent bed sores.

“Every year the region provides money to facilities for capital equipment, but the amount of money that’s available is never enough to fulfil the wish list, so being able to accept a donation like this is huge and exciting,” Doucette said.

They aren’t stopping there. Other projects in the future include adding a porch to block the cold air in the winter time, upgrading the hair dressing room to make it more comfortable for residents and creating wheelchair accessible doors on two sets of entrances.

These are still being priced out so no motions have been made for work to begin.

Koska is the largest private benefactor of the Spiritwood Health Complex Foundation.

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