Last stars lit for Starlite

(From left) Wes Rogers (EKFH Director), Chris Thom, Joey Hoechsmann and Donna Grainger.

Photo submitted

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• EKFH Starlite Campaign kicks off for another year
• Auxiliary shines with $30,000 gift for Starlite
• Lighting up stars for EKFH
• One star is not enough for local auto business

In the words of John Quincy Adams “If your actions inspire others to dream more, learn more, do more and become more, you are a leader.”   According to EKFH Executive Director , Donna Grainger these words aptly describe the individuals and the organizations who have united together to light the last two stars as part of the 2011 Starlite Campaign for Excellence in Health Care.

Chris Thom of Rocky Mountain Diesel and Joey Hoechsmann from The Bedroom Furniture Galleries are such leaders.  The two friends and recognizable business owners are always looking for new creative ways to not only promote their organizations;  they always keep an eye out when doing so to help others. For this story the lucky recipient is the East Kootenay Foundation for Health, the Starlite Campaign for Excellence in Health Care and the fundraising drive to bring a digital stereotactic mammography unit to the regional hospital.

With only two stars remaining out of seventeen to be lit, Chris and Joey met at lunch and discussed uniting their efforts by presenting EKFH with $5,000 each to light final stars 16 and 17.  The Bedroom Furniture Galleries raised their donations through the sales of Curly Critters at their store, at several hockey games and with a top off gift of a personal donation by Joey & Christine Hoechsmann.  The Thom family (Chris & Olivia) created a unique thank you card placed in every automotive repair that came through their shop from November 24 to January 31.  Rocky Mountain Diesel made an additional $5,000 gift just prior to Christmas in honour of their clients and staff.

The lighting of the 17 stars is only the second time to happen in the history of the Starlite Campaign.  The 2011 fundraising goal was not only the beautiful blue stars but to raise the usual fundraising goal from $85,000 to $100,000 and encouraging the majority  of donations to be dedicated to the digital stereotactic mammography fund.

Thanks to Rocky Mountain Diesel and The Bedroom Furniture and all the other donations the Starlite Campaign has hit the $93,981 mark with only a few more days to go before the stars are turned off for another year.

The Starlite Campaign will close on January 31, 2012; if you are still interested in making a gift as part of this campaign, please visit the secured website, www.ekfh.ca.