The Mainil family of Weyburn made a very generous donation to the Weyburn and District Hospital Foundation for the construction of a new acute care hospital in the city. The investment portfolio is worth a whopping $800,000 and was presented to the foundation during a ceremony on January 6 with members of the board, the Sun Country Health Region (SCHR), and Mainil family in attendance.
Chair of the Hospital Foundation Kim Thorson said that he was proud to live in a community with a family like the Mainils and very appreciative of their extensive contribution. He spoke of the family's past as members of the community.
"The Mainil family has been in business for 55 years; at that time Saskatchewan was celebrating its golden anniversary and the Weyburn General Hospital had been in operation for three years. The old hospital was then the new hospital," said Thorson.
He went on to say that the costs to maintain and heat the old building are growing every year.
Interim CEO for SCHR Marga Cugnet agreed that the building is in need of replacement and that a new hospital environment would make hospital staff's jobs easier.
"The way we do health care is much different then when the hospital was built in the early '60s," said Cugnet.
Patriarch of the family, Jerry Mainil, said that the money was going to a very worthy cause, as he stood next to his wife Orlanda and their children, with the exception of Dale and Danette Tracey, who were out of town.
"I'm kind of old-fashioned; I like old things," said Mainil. "But I think there's a real need for a new hospital, mainly because with a new facility you can bring new doctors in."
Son Dennis Mainil said that, on behalf of his siblings, they were very proud of their parents and the contributions they have made to the community over the years.
Current legislation requires that a local community pay for 35 percent of the cost of a new health care facility.
