For the first time since the outset of the COVID-19 pandemic, supporters and friends of Ste. Anne Hospital will come together to celebrate, socialize and fundraise for healthcare in the community and surrounding area.

The inaugural Honour Gala, set for Saturday, March 2, essentially replaces the Ste. Anne Hospital Fund’s previous Lobster Fest, and Marc Charrière, Executive Director of the Fund’s board of directors, is hopeful the reimagined event will cast a wider net.

“We’re sort of rebooting the gala and going with different choices of beef, chicken and vegetarian options,” he says, adding that the full course meal will include a wine pull and cash bar. “This way there’s a lot of options for people to have fun and enjoy the evening.”

Niverville’s atmospheric Heritage Centre will host the Honour Gala, which, as its name suggests, will also recognize the extraordinary contribution of a member of the community – in this case Maurice Chaput, who played a key role in the construction of the hospital’s Heliport.

As Charrière explains, the Ste. Anne Hospital Fund serves the catchment area by acquiring equipment that isn’t paid for by Manitoba Health. In the past, they’ve helped fund the hospital’s state-of-the-art surgical suite as well as the heliport, which continues to be a priority for the organization.

“We want to maintain the heliport, because it has to be up to Transport Canada standards,” says Charrière. “We have to make sure it’s always in top shape.”

The continued expansion of surgical services is also among the projects being underlined for the near term.

“We want to continue to ensure the delivery of a full slate of healthcare services is available for people in the Southeast,” Charrière says. “The reason behind all this is so we can raise the funds needed so that we’re ready to make a major purchase or other changes.”

He adds that the community can get involved by participating in the Honour Gala or becoming a sponsor. And, in addition to the fundraising aspect of the occasion, attendees can expect an

enjoyable evening with friends and members of the public who share a passion for better health outcomes in the region.

“We’re going to have a music ensemble as well as a comedian who will entertain us,” he says. “We’re looking forward to an enjoyable evening.”

Honour Gala tickets remain available, although Charrière says he hopes to have them sold by February 15th. Each costs $150, with eight people per table. Tax receipts will be made available.

All those interested can register on the Ste. Anne Hospital Fund’s website, and the organization can also be reached by calling (204) 392-3971 or emailing info@fondshospitalsteanne.ca.