Volunteers front and center at LGH Foundation event

By Ian Howarth, September 12th, 2012

 The backbone of any non-profit organization is its volunteers. The Lakeshore General Foundation is no different and last week at a lunchtime event held at the Chateau Dollard Residence, 90 LGH Foundation volunteers got their chance to shine in the sun on an equally bright late summer Friday afternoon.
 The LGH Foundation has been serving the interest of the West Island's only hospital for more than 50 years, starting out raising funds in 1964 that would eventually go towards the opening of the hospital the next year. The Foundation works with a bank of about 400 volunteers of all ages supporting their annual capital campaign that will kick off next week and run form Oct. 18 until the spring of 2013.
For volunteers like Nancy Michaud and Heidi Bertschman volunteering for the Foundation has become of a part of their retired lives. Michaud, who was an executive administrator for a seafood company, is in her fourth year manning the phones in the Foundation's offices and flogging tickets for the annual LGH Duck Race, among her other myriad of contributions. “I was always served well by the Lakeshore Hospital, so for me it's about giving back, “said Michaud, a former DDO resident who now calls St. Lazare home. Bertschman, a retired teacher, uses her “interpersonal skills” for the LGH Foundation, skills that no doubt served her well in the classroom and now as one of the Foundation's more persuasive fundraisers.
Student from Riverdale High School were also recognized for their work wrapping present last Christmas and being part of the LGH Foundation summer volunteer program. Spiritual and Community animator Sandra King and Planning Room tech Keith Mills accompanied five RHS student to last Friday's event as part of the school's Youth in Action program. “I like helping out,” said Kharthika Jeyachandran, who is in her graduation year at Riverdale. “I'm sure I will to continue volunteering even after I leave high school.”
The volunteer recognition event is the Foundation's way of giving back to its volunteers who help run annual events like the Duck Race, the Lakeshore Foundation Ball, fashion shows, golf tournament that - along with private and corporate donations - allow the Foundation to support the hospitals' doctors, nurses, support staff and patients with important infrastructure funds.
The LGH Foundation's annual campaign centered on the theme “Life Could Change in an Instant,” will get jumped started at the hospital next Tuesday with campaign Senator Larry Smith attending.n