Once again the St. Joseph's Hospital Foundation is aiming to satisfy its wish list.
It takes a lot of work and a lot of money to keep St. Joseph's Hospital running smoothly. One of the foundation's jobs is to help make sure the professionals in the hospital have the equipment they require to work to the best of their ability.
Roxy Blackmore, the foundation's director, noted the wish list includes necessary items identified by the employees and one way for people to contribute is through the foundation's cash calendar lottery draw.
They have been selling tickets for the last two to three weeks and will continue selling until the end of the summer.
Blackmore said more than 40,000 patients went through St. Joseph's doors in 2011, an increase of about 10,000 from the year before.
"That's wear and tear on equipment, and we need all the help we can get," she added.
Their goal is to create awareness, funds and involvement at the hospital.
"Any money that is made through fundraising and donation goes right back into St. Joseph's, so it stays local, and that's the goal of things like the lottery," said Blackmore. "That's why I'm constantly trying to tweak things to make the biggest bang for our buck as a community."
She said getting the community to support in something fun like the lottery is a great way to get people involved in the hospital, while also helping to cover new equipment.
"That money goes into buying state-of-the-art equipment, which then can retain the best medical professionals, the best specialists, to come to our city to work, so they have the best tools to do their job," said Blackmore. "You want to keep them. They can only work to the best of their ability with what they've got, and we want to offer them the best so they can stay here. We want to have what they need to work with and do their jobs."
Blackmore has organized the cash calendar lottery draw the past few years, but for 2013, she has revised the distribution of prizes.
In previous years, the draws ran all year long but come January, it will be one-and-done with a whirlwind of giveaways throughout the first month of the year. The draws will kick off with a $3,000 prize on New Year's Day and finish with a $10,000 prize on Jan. 31. There will be smaller draws from Monday to Friday throughout the month, with eight $1,000 draws and 26 $100 draws.
"It's very different. There's a lot more money going out and in a shorter span of time. The grand prize is up, and the tickets are cheaper," said Blackmore.
Previously there were $100 draws each week throughout the year, with a grand prize at the end of the year.
"I thought maybe this would be more appealing, and certainly we've sold a lot of tickets. They're going really fast," she added. "It's more money for less, actually the tickets are less. (They're) great for gifts, especially around the Christmas season, (the prizes are) almost immediate. If someone's going to win, it's right away in January."
Blackmore noted that keeping a healthy and properly run hospital is something that benefits the entire city.
"Everyone that donates is in it for a healthier community all the way around."
They have previously raised about $40,000 through the lotteries, but Blackmore likes to shoot high, with a goal of more than double that amount.
"I like to reach high," she said. "If I didn't do that, what fun would it be? It's fun to reach a goal, and it's better to have the community behind you reaching a goal. If we all work together, that's when it really gets exciting."
Tickets may be purchased by contacting Blackmore at the St. Joseph's Hospital Foundation office.
