Downtown St. Catharines streets were blocked off recently for the filming of the finish line scene for “The Finish Line,” a short film which is part of the It’s Our Time Campaign. Photo courtesy of the St. Catharines Standard

Thanks to all who came out to be part of healthcare history

More than 100 NHS healthcare professionals and staff, Auxiliary and campaign fundraising volunteers, donors and members of the community enthusiastically played their roles at the filming of the finish line scene for a short film – called “The Finish Line.” This film, part of the It’s Our Time Campaign’s public awareness initiative, is intended to encourage those who haven’t yet done so to contribute to the fundraising campaign.

The It’s Our Time Campaign is a joint effort of the foundations of the NHS. Funds raised will support the development of the new healthcare complex and Walker Family Cancer Centre; equipment and renovations at the Douglas Memorial and Port Colborne sites; the new Welland Hospital Auxiliary Dialysis Centre and new 128-slice CT Scanner for the Welland Site; and a new dialysis centre, upgraded operating rooms and anaesthetic equipment, along with new state-of-the-art echocardiography and ultrasound machines at the Greater Niagara General Site.

“No other local initiative in our lifetime will have as significant an impact on as many lives as this revitalization of healthcare for all Niagarans,” says long-time fundraiser Archie Katzman who stars in “The Finish Line” film’s final scene.

Vast amounts of volunteer hours and generous support from leading donors in our community have helped to achieve $26 million of the campaign’s $40-million goal. Now it’s time for all of us to become involved and help the campaign cross the finish line!

For staff, regular payroll deductions are a convenient way to contribute that cumulatively makes a real difference. This can be arranged through the site foundation offices. Members of the public can visit the It’s Our Time Campaign website (Ways to Give tab) or call the Campaign office at 905-378-4647, ext. 32314, for more information on becoming a donor.

And stay tuned. In September, the film will be available on the Campaign website: www.ItsOurTimeCampaign.ca, on TV Cogeco Cable 10, and it will be produced on DVD.