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Healthcare Foundation receives large bequest from Kraus estate

Funding in support of healthcare services in southwest Saskatchewan received a booster shot with a large donation to the Dr. Noble Irwin Regional Healthcare Foundation.

Foundation Executive Director Jim Dekowny announced a donation of $450,000 from the estate of Donna and Steve Kraus during a media event, Nov. 23.

He was joined for the announcement by Sheldon Kraus from Saskatoon, who represented the Kraus family.

“This bequest will push southwest Saskatchewan towards a higher level of healthcare excellence,” Dekowny said. “We are inspired and truly grateful for this remarkable gift. It is very clear that Donna and Steve believed in the importance of having quality healthcare available to all residents of Saskatchewan. Their generous gift to the Foundation will enable current and future generations access to high quality healthcare equipment close to home.”

He added that this bequest will magnify the Foundation’s mission to disburse funds to improve the quality and availability of healthcare for all residents in southwest Saskatchewan.

“As we move forward with the bequest, we want to ensure that the funds go towards the areas of greatest needs in southwest Saskatchewan and ensure that the Kraus family is properly honoured for each campaign we support and they support,” he said. “Currently we are working with our partners to determine which projects are most vital.”

Dr. Noble Irwin Regional Healthcare Foundation is one of three non-profit organizations in Saskatchewan that each received an amount of $450,000 from the estate of Donna and Steve Kraus. The other two beneficiaries are the Jim Pattison Children’s Hospital and Telemiracle.

“When we finally settle the estate, there will be a little more coming to each charity, because we have at least some funds there to get things accomplished,” Sheldon Kraus said.

He shared some fond memories about the visits by his uncle and aunt with the family in Saskatchewan.

“While my uncle and aunt lived in Vancouver, they came out to Saskatchewan every couple of years to visit and they would stay with my parents,” he recalled. “My dad was two years younger than uncle Steve and he was very close to the two of them, and they would tell stories and laugh for hours.”

In return, Sheldon and other children in the family visited their uncle and aunt in later years when they were older.

“We always came to visit them when we got older and left home,” he mentioned. “My parents said you must come and visit. So that was a routine we had to do, and uncle Steve and aunt Donna were very, very good to us. They were very nice to us, and I guess we must have been nice to them. So that worked out very well.”

Donna and Steve both grew up in Saskatchewan. She was from Ernfold and he was from Wakaw. She went to Vancouver as a young woman to be with relatives and to find employment.

“She met Steve at a dance, and according to the people that I talked to about this, the two of them loved to dance,” Dekowny said. “They soon married and spent their entire working lives in Vancouver. They owned a construction business and worked together, while Donna also worked in the food service industry.”

They enjoyed travelling and for the last 20 years of their working lives they spent October to April in Yuma, Arizona. They moved back to Saskatchewan after their retirement to be closer to family. They both lived into their 90s. Steve passed away in January 2010 and Donna in June 2020.

Sheldon felt it was a great decision by his uncle and aunt to support healthcare in this manner through a bequest to the Healthcare Foundation.

“Uncle Steve and aunt Donna made a decision many years ago that they were going to give back to society and they didn’t have a family,” he said. “So they did make a bequest to a number, actually 23 people, and my aunt specified only those that are alive will receive it. So I think about 19 or 20 received a benefit and the rest was to go to charity and these specified three charities.”

Dekowny told the Prairie Post after the announcement this was one of the largest bequests ever received by the Healthcare Foundation. It came as a pleasant surprise when he opened the letter from the estate lawyers with details about the bequest.

“This is amazing,” he said. “When I opened that envelope up, I thought it was $45,000 and I’m like, that’s neat, and then I thought there’s a lot more zeroes here than that. So I was tickled pink. It was a great day, a great week for us, and it’s just a blessing that we can do good things in the southwest with this money.”

Source: Prairie Post 

By: Mathew Liebenberg

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Donna and Steve Kraus Estate bequeath contributes $450,000 to Dr. Noble Irwin Regional Healthcare Foundation

Kraus family friend and main estate executor Mary Hoffart joined Elizabeth and Sheldon Kraus in presenting a bequeath of $450,000 from the Steve and Donna Kraus Estate to the Dr. Noble Irwin Regional Healthcare Foundation which was accepted by Foundation Executive Director Jim Dekowny.

The estate of Donna and Steve Kraus has made an impactful donation of $450,000 to the Dr. Noble Irwin Regional Healthcare Foundation.

The donation, announced during a press conference at the Elmwood Golf Course Clubhouse on Tuesday, is the second largest bequeath made in Foundation history.

“This bequest will push Southwest Saskatchewan toward a higher level of healthcare excellence. We are inspired and truly grateful for this remarkable gift. It is very clear that Donna and Steve believed in the importance of having quality healthcare available to all residents of Saskatchewan,” Jim Dekowny, Executive Director of the Dr. Noble Irwin Regional Healthcare Foundation said during the November 23 announcement. “Their generous gift to the Foundation will enable current and future generations access to high quality healthcare equipment close to home.”

Dekowny noted the the remarkable gift helps magnify the Foundation’s mission for healthcare in the Southwest.

“We want to ensure that the funds go to the areas of greatest needs in Southwest Saskatchewan, and ensure that the Kraus family is properly honoured in each campaign they support.”

The Foundation is currently working with their partners to best determine which projects are most vital and the best items to receive funding.

Sheldon Kraus from Saskatoon, the nephew of Donna and Steve Kraus, attended the donation announcement as the representative of the family.

“I think it’s great,” Sheldon Kraus said of the bequeath in support of healthcare. “Uncle Steve and Aunt Donna made a decision many years ago that they were going to give back to society.”

The couple married and spent their entire working lives in Vancouver where they owned and worked together at a constriction business, and she also worked in the food service industry. In retirement they moved back to Saskatchewan to be closer to family, living in Wakaw and Swift Current. Steve Kraus passed away in January of 2010, and Donna Kraus passed away on June 28, 2020 at the age of 95.

As per their wishes, the majority of their estate was directed to three charities, the Dr. Noble Irwin Regional Healthcare Foundation, the Jim Pattison Children’s Hospital, and Telemiracle which will all be receiving $450,000.

“I think it’s great that they made that decision,” Sheldon Kraus said of his aunt and uncles generosity.

Source: Southwest Booster 

Author: Scott Anderson 

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An early Christmas for the Dr. Noble Irwin Regional Healthcare

It was an exciting day for the Dr. Noble Irwin Regional Healthcare Foundation, as they received the second-largest donation in the non-profit’s history on Tuesday afternoon.

Announced at an event held at the Elmwood Golf Club with members of their family in attendance, Jim Dekowny, Executive Director of the Dr. Noble Irwin Regional Healthcare Foundation announced that they had received a bequeathment of $450,000 dollar from the estate of Donna and Steve Kraus.

The donation was part of a three-fold act, with another $450,000 dollars going towards the Jim Pattison Children’s Hospital, and another $450,000 share going towards Telemiracle.

Steve, who passed away in 2010, and Donna who passed in 2020, met in Vancouver after Mary had moved there for employment from her hometown of Ernfold. After retirement, they moved back to Saskatchewan, and eventually to Swift Current.

Sheldon Kraus, a nephew of Donna, made the journey from Saskatoon to be on hand for the announcement.

“Steve and Aunt Donna made a decision many years ago that they were going to give back to society. They didn’t have a family, so they did make a bequeathment to 23 people. And my aunt specified that only those who are alive will receive them. The rest was to go to charity.”

According to Dekowny, while the money does not have a particular home just yet, he felt it’s of utmost importance to ensure that the money gets spent on not only the projects that would do the most good but projects that could properly honour the significance of the Kraus’s generosity.

“This bequest will push southwest Saskatchewan towards a higher level of healthcare excellence. As we move forward with the bequest we want to ensure that the funds go towards the areas of greatest needs in southwest Saskatchewan and the Kraus family is properly honoured for each campaign we support. Currently, we are working with our partners to determine which projects are most vital.”

Source: Swift Current Online

Written by Paul Figueiredo

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Cabri receives big boost for local fundraiser

Since January, the Dr. Noble Irwin Foundation has partnered with Cabri in efforts to raise $250,000 to purchase a new digital x-ray machine.

Cabri’s current machine is film-based causing them to wait much longer for the film to develop to view scans, it is quite outdated compared to the digital machines.

They also resort to sending patients to Swift Current if they know they will need a high-quality x-ray.

Recently, the Innovation Credit Union’s Community Legacy Fund Program has granted the fundraiser $5,000, raising their total to $175,000 which is quite near their goal.

“We’re always so grateful for any amount of money that we can get towards this campaign,” says Dr. Noble Irwin’s Communications and Development Coordinator, Sara Adrian. “Every amount counts. We’re so grateful that Innovation is even just bringing more light to our campaign, letting more people know that it’s happening and that they can donate.”

The money will not only go towards a digital x-ray machine but also an updated room to accommodate the new technology. All of which will be placed at the Prairie Public Health Care Centre.

The fundraiser hopes to have their goal met before the end of the 2021 year, but are focused on meeting their goal more than the time it’s met by.

Source: Swift Current Online

Written by Ruby Zummack

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Dr. Noble Irwin Radiothon Exceeds Objective

Photo by David Zammit

After 22-hours on the Golden West Broadcasting’s airwaves the past couple of days, the Dr. Noble Irwin Pharmasave Radiothon for Healthcare has surpassed their goal netting $158,150 in the 13th installment of the annual event.

The non-profit organization had a two-day goal to raise $150,000 and with some final hour donations raced past that target, more than doubling day one’s total of $72,430.

Countless businesses and residents contributed to the final total, something that Jim Dekowny, the executive director of the Dr. Noble Irwin Regional Healthcare Foundation, was very grateful for.

“The biggest part is, is the donors,” he said. “It’s not just Swift Current, it’s the southwest, it’s from up to Leader over to Maple Creek down to Climax over to Herbert. We have donors… and they stepped up pretty good and we’ve had a good couple days so it’s been good.”

With a multitude of non-profits in southwestern Saskatchewan, Dekowny said it’s great the healthcare foundation is able to grab a sliver of the pie.

“There’s so many good organizations in the southwest and we just want to do our best, so that when that something like this happens and somebody comes and hears and goes ‘ya they do a good job, so let’s throw some money at them’,” he said. “That’s kudos to my team… and kudo to what we do, to make sure that we’re visible to make sure that when you’re thinking of donating it’s to the Dr. Noble Irwin Foundation.”

The funds from this year’s event will be used to buy a new telemetry system, something that’s in urgent need for the Cypress Regional Hospital in Swift Current.

“It’s very important to the care we provide to patients,” Dr. Kevin Wasko said on Thursday evening. “I work in the emergency department ICU area of the hospital where all of those telemetry units are kept track of by the nursing 24/7 and it monitors people that may be at any point in the hospital. It monitors their heart rate and vital signs.”

Source: Swift Current Online 

Written by David Zammit

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G3 donation supports health care in Saskatchewan communities

Winnipeg – October 18, 2021 – G3 is supporting health care around its new Swift Current grain elevator through a major charitable donation.

G3 is donating $10,000 to the Dr. Noble Irwin Regional Healthcare Foundation, which raises money to fund health care facilities in Southwest Saskatchewan.

Due to the pandemic, G3 was unable to hold a grand opening event for G3 Swift Current when it opened this past summer. It was decided to donate the funds from that event to the Dr. Noble Irwin Foundation.

“G3 is proud to be part of the community in and around Swift Current,” says G3 CEO Don Chapman. “We’re pleased these funds can be directed to an important cause like funding health care services and facilities for our families, neighbours and customers.”

“The Dr. Noble Irwin Regional Healthcare Foundation is thrilled to accept a $10,000 donation from Swift Current’s newest grain elevator G3. The funds will be going towards a community match to kick-off the 2021 Pharmasave Radiothon for Healthcare,” says Jim Dekowny, Executive Director of the Foundation. “Thank you to G3 for helping keep healthcare strong in Southwest Saskatchewan it is greatly appreciated and has shown their commitment to supporting Swift Current & Southwest Saskatchewan.”

G3’s donation will be used to match donations from the community during the October 28 & 29 radiothon to raise funds to purchase a new Telemetry System for the Cypress Regional Hospital.

Photo caption: Jim Dekowny, Executive Director of the Dr. Noble Irwin Regional Healthcare Foundation (R) accepts the donation from G3 Swift Current General Manager Rick Spetz (L).

About G3
G3 was created with the vision of building a smarter path from farmers’ fields to global markets. Today, G3 is transforming the way grain moves with an expanding network of facilities that set new standards for fast, safe and reliable operations. We focus on efficiency to create opportunity for our customers across Canada and around the world. G3 Terminal Vancouver, a state-of-the art export facility, is adding more speed and efficiency to our grain supply chain. G3 is a Canadian company, and is headquartered in Winnipeg, Manitoba.

G3 Media Relations
1-204-983-3101
mediarelations@g3.ca

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Weekend Ribfest Tickles Taste-Buds

Photo by Colin Powers

Regina’s Prairie Smoke and Spice picked up a pair of awards at this weekend’s Living Sky Casino Ribfest for the Dr. Noble Irwin Regional Healthcare Foundation.

What originally began as a three-team competition was whittled down to two before beginning as an unfortunate windstorm prevented one of the Ribbers, Boss Hog’s BBG, from making it to the Living Sky Casino for the weekend.

That left Regina’s Prairie Smoke and Spice going head-to-head against Gator BBQ out of Simcoe, Ontario.

The celebrity judges included MLA Everett Hindley; Living Sky Casino Regional General Manager Trevor Marion; Karla Wiens, CEO of the Swift Current and District Chamber of Commerce; Deputy Mayor and Swift Current Council Member John Wall; and Iowa Wild Goaltender, Joel Rumpel.

The award for best ribs went to Gator BBQ, while both the best sauce award and the people’s choice award went to the Regina contestant.

In total, the weekend event raised $9,000 dollars towards the purchase of a Fetal Monitor for the Obstetrics unit at the Cypress Regional Hospital on behalf of the Dr. Noble Irwin Regional Healthcare Foundation.

Story via Swift Current Online 

Written by Paul Figueiredo

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Don’t Forget The Bibs for Weekend Ribfest

Photo Provided By Swift Current Online

Southwest residents will finally be able to break out their fancy bibs as the Living Sky Casino Ribfest rolls into the casino parking lot for the weekend.

The casino and the Dr. Noble Irwin Regional Healthcare Foundation’s popular event is making a return for another year with the proceeds going towards the purchase of a Fetal Monitor for the Obstetrics unit at the Cypress Regional Hospital.

As previously reported in the original announcement, the Co-Operators & Robynn’s Insurance have come on board this year’s event as presenting sponsors.

A pair of “Ribbers” will be feeding hungry residents this year: Gator BBQ, a travelling family of ribbers from Port Dover, Ontario; and Regina’s own Prairie Smoke and Spice.

Also announced last week, a celebrity panel of judges will be on hand on Sunday to determine the best sauce and best ribs.

  • Trevor Marion | Living Sky Casino
  • Karla Wiens | Swift Current & District Chamber of Commerce
  • John Wall | Deputy Mayor
  • Everett Hindley | MLA
  • Joel Rumpel | Former Wisconsin Badger

The celebrity judging will be held at 4:00 p.m. on Sunday, while Living Sky Casino Ribfest is underway today.

 

Story Via Swift Current Online 

Author: Paul Figueiredo 

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Get Ready To Get Your Rib On

From left to right Raul Rojas (Living Sky Casino), Jim Dekowny (Dr. Noble Irwin Foundation), Robynn Schous (The Co-operators/Robynn’s Insurance Financial Group), Kim Pierce (The Co-operators/Robynn’s Insurance Financial Group).

Residents will once again be able to get their rib on this summer with the return of the Living Sky Casino Ribfest taking place August 6th through 8th.

The Dr. Noble Irwin Regional Healthcare Foundation and Living Sky Casino are proud to introduce The Cooperators/Robynn’s Insurance Financial Group as Presenting Sponsor for this year’s Ribfest.

There will be three ribbers in attendance as Executive Director of the foundation, Jim Dekowny explains.

“Right now we have three confirmed ribbers. The first is Boss Hogs, the second ribber is Gator BBQ and the third is Praire Smoke and Spice.”

Dekowny also wishes to thank this year’s Half Platter Sponsors: City of Swift Current, Melhoff Electric, Flyer Electric, and Duracon Concrete.

Dekowny provides details on where the proceeds from the event will be going this year.

“So all the proceeds for Ribfest this year will go towards a fetal monitor for the Obstetrics Unit at the Cypress Regional Hospital.”

In a press release sent to Swift Current Online from the Foundation, Dekowny says “We are excited to be a part of a large outdoor Community Event coming out of the COVID-19 pandemic. This will be a great event to get your family and friends together come out and enjoy some delicious ribs while supporting a worthy cause.”

Sask Health Authority have also confirmed that they will be on-site on August 7th and 8th  from 12:00 pm-4:00 pm and will be available to vaccinate anyone who is willing and wanting to get vaccinated.

 

Story via: Swift Current Online

Author: Tara Garcia

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Golf Classic Helps Dr. Noble Irwin with Obstetrics Unit Project

Nearly 150 golfers took to the links in support of a trio of Swift Current organizations late last week at the Emergency Services Charity Golf Classic.

The 15th installment of the event put on by the Dr. Noble Irwin Regional Healthcare Foundation Inc. was held at the Chinook Golf Course on Friday.

“I think it was a great event,” Jim Dekowny, the executive director for the Dr. Noble Irwin Regional Healthcare Foundation Inc., said. “Mother Nature was an absolute treat on Friday, it was just an amazing day. It got a little hot and then the cloud cover came over. Lots of money raised for not only the Dr. Noble Irwin Regional Healthcare Foundation but emergency services with the firefighters and ambulance people.”

No dollar amount for the event has been released yet but the healthcare foundation will receive 60 per cent of the proceeds with 20 per cent going to each the Swift Current Fire Department and Hutch Ambulance Service.

“They (Hutch’s) take the money and spread it throughout the community and donate a little back to the Noble Irwin, as well as the firefighters,” he said. “The firefighters have the burn unit and that type of stuff they send their money to, so it’s great for everybody.”

Dekowny said the funds the healthcare foundation ends up with from the event will be used towards the Cypress Regional Hospital’s obstetrics unit for a fetal monitor.

“That’s kind of where our event money goes this year,” he said. “This being our second event, we’re probably halfway there (toward the fundraising goal).”

 

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