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Thunder Bay Regional Health Sciences Foundation

chase case

TBRHSF hosting Deal or No Deal-inspired charity fundraiser

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Ever wished you were on Deal or no Deal?

The Thunder Bay Regional Health Sciences Foundation is hosting their second annual fundraising auction by Howie Mandel’s iconic game show.

20 prize packages, each valued at around $1,000, will be up for grabs during the Chase the Case event at the Valhalla hotel ballroom April 16. All proceeds for the event go towards supporting breast cancer care through the Northern Cancer Fund.

Here’s how it will work:

  • The 20 prize packages will be divided into 4 groups of 5
  • Each round, the five prize packages will be shared and participants can start placing their bets
  • The prizes will then be stashed inside briefcases (you’ll know which prizes are available, but not which case they’re hidden in)
  • The top five bidders will come to the stage and pick a briefcase, hoping their preferred prize package is inside
  • There is an option to buy a “phone the banker” opportunity to find out the two cases your desired prize is most likely hidden inside

“Every bidder gets to go home with something awesome,” said Health Sciences Foundation Event Manager Haley Werbowetski. “Last year we raised over $41,000 for breast cancer, which was incredible for our first year. We have a fundraising goal of $55,000 this year.”

Without giving too much away before the event, Werbowetski was able to share three of the prize packages that will be on the block.

“We have the Hot Tub Happy Hour supported by Lake of the Woods Brewery, so you’ll get a case of beer from them, and Hot Tub Express donated a weekend rental of a hot tub in your backyard so you’ll be able to have the coolest party of the summer,” she said.

Another prize is called Feast Coast. “This one is supported by the Landing Gathering Hall, so you’ll get an event rental space there, and East Coast Lobster will provide you with your choice of an oyster shuck or a seafood boil.”

The last prize Werbowetski shared is Suds and Save. “This is a $3,500 gift certificate for Inspired Cabinetry to get you started on that bathroom you’ve probably been ignoring for years.”

The event’s main prize is valued at over $6,500 and donated by Re/Max First Choice Realty.

“It’s been a grueling process for buyers in this market, and it’s gut wrenching,” said James Cameron, event ambassador and realtor at Re/Max. “I’m trying to minimize that stress by putting a case together. I’m going to donate some of my own dollars as a cash prize. Auto Home Paints is also donating some funds. I’ve got a real estate lawyer that’s stepping up to offer his services for closing costs on a property purchase. And I’ve got a home inspector that’s stepped up as well.”

Guests will also enjoy a four-course meal, drinks, carnival games and a separate silent auction over the course of the night.

“(The event will have) great food, great people, and it’s also a great way to network. I love community and this is a great event for it,” Cameron said.

Tickets are available for purchase here.

heart cookie

Bay Street Coffee funding cardiac care with heart cookies

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Bay Village Coffee is kicking off their annual heart cookie fundraiser for local cardiac care on Monday.

The cookies are available throughout February, and all proceeds go to the cardiac sector of the Thunder Bay Regional Health Sciences Foundation.

Owner Alan Forbes says the goal is to top last year’s total of 10,000 cookies sold.

“A friend of ours passed away in 2018 from a heart attack, and the only symptom she had was a sore neck,” Forbes said. “When we found out that was a symptom that’s more common in women, I thought that we should just do a little bit of an education campaign, maybe raise a few bucks.”

The heart cookie fundraiser has raised over $100,000 in the last five years.

“Then in 2023, just after giving the check presentation, I had a heart attack myself,” Forbes said. “They ended up using equipment on me that had been purchased through the foundation so it was really full circle.”

Forbes has since recovered. He says he’s feeling re-energized and ready to break some records this year.

Patrick Chilton December 5050

Thunder Bay’s December 50/50 winner draws $7.7 million

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Patrick Chilton of Timmins and Moose Factory has won $7,720,930 in the Thunder Bay Regional Health Sciences Foundation’s (TBRHSF) December 50/50 draw.

The December 50/50 has set a new fundraising record for the TBRHSF, which puts half of the money from every 50/50 ticket towards Thunder Bay’s hospital.

The Thunder Bay 50/50 has raised more than $90 million for the foundation to date, and an additional $90 million for prize winners.

Chilton has a history of working in the health care industry, including in Sioux Lookout and the Weeneebayko Area Health Authority.

Chilton says he will likely use some of his winnings for a vacation to Mexico with his wife.

Health Sciences Foundation Receives $507,840 Gift to Support Patient Care

Over $500K donated to Regional Health Sciences Foundation

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A gift of over half a million dollars was donated to the Thunder Bay Regional Health Sciences Foundation.

The Bachinski family made the donation of $507,840 to honour their parents Anne and Sam.

After receiving incredible care during the end of their lives at the Thunder Bay Regional Health Sciences Centre, their family wanted to help others.

“We are profoundly grateful to the Bachinski family for their generosity in recognition of the care provided to their family and their continued commitment to support others needing care in our Hospital,” said Dr. Rhonda Crocker Ellacott, President and CEO of TBRHSC.

“Their support will have a lasting impact on cardiovascular surgery, cancer care, and orthopaedic surgery, helping to ensure patients across Northwestern Ontario can access high-quality, compassionate care close to home.”

This gift, along with the family’s 2019 contribution, is one of the largest family donations in the Foundation’s history of over a million dollars.

Thunder Bay hospital grants

Thunder Bay hospital receives historic gift

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The Thunder Bay Regional Health Sciences Foundation has approved a record-setting $22,815,488 for the Thunder Bay Regional Health Sciences Centre.

The foundation’s Capital Grants program will provide $10.3 million for more than two dozen individual investments at the hospital, including $3 million to replace almost 200 hospital beds with SMART beds, $1 million for a new Linear Accelerator at the Cancer Centre, and a wide range of smaller upgrades to improve and modernize the facility.

This year’s grant will also provide $9.3 million for the Cardiovascular Surgery Unit, a still-under-construction extension of the hospital complex. With the new investment, the foundation’s total commitment to the surgery unit has topped $23 million.

“Every service at the hospital has benefited from this announcement today,” says foundation CEO Glenn Craig.

A great deal of the foundation’s funding has been raised through 50/50 draws.

Craig describes the success of the 50/50 as “really the story of the last few years.”

He says even a decade ago, the foundation would be thrilled to give a couple of million dollars a year, making the funds of the last few years a total “game changer.”

Because the hospital is now 21 years old, some equipment is becoming outdated or reaching the end of its lifespan, making the millions of dollars of grant funds essential.

Patricia Lang, Chair of the hospital’s board of directors, says she would have never imagined seeing a number like $23 million when she first joined the board.

She is grateful to the foundation for “giving our clinicians the tools to be able to provide the very best care to patients and families.”

Lang recognizes that not every hospital gets the sort of financial support that Thunder Bay gets, saying the hospital is in “an enviable position to be able to replace our aging capital, and be able to modernize.”

She says these upgrades help with recruitment and retention of staff at the hospital.

Lang also states that the hospital’s new cardiovascular unit is on time and on budget, with an expected opening in 2028.

Thunder Bay 5050 Store Secures Long-Term Home Inside Intercity Shopping Centre Photo

Thunder Bay 50/50 Store secures permanent home at Intercity Shopping Centre

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Thunder Bay’s 50/50 Store has a permanent home.

The Thunder Bay Regional Health Sciences Foundation has signed a long-term agreement turning the store’s temporary location into a full-time home.

“The Thunder Bay 50/50 store has become such an important part of who we are,” said Director, Lotteries for the Thunder Bay Regional Health Sciences Foundation (TBRHSF), Torin Gunnell.

“It’s where we have the opportunity to meet the people who make our success possible. Keeping it at Intercity means our supporters can continue to walk up, chat with our team, and buy their tickets in person; it’s about being accessible to everyone.”

Funding from the draw supports the purchase of vital healthcare equipment and services across northwestern Ontario.

“Our relationship with Intercity Shopping Centre goes back decades,” said the CEO of the TBRHSF, Glenn Craig.

“What started as paper tickets sold from a card table has grown into a permanent storefront that’s become a true community hub. This partnership has evolved right alongside the Thunder Bay 50/50 itself, and we couldn’t be more grateful to have such strong local support as we continue to grow.”

The Thunder Bay 50/50 Store is located inside Intercity Shopping Centre, next to New York Fries in the Food Court, and is open during regular mall hours.