Jan. 30, DJ Bowen rushed around the Jasper-Yellowhead Museum and Archives, flagging down volunteers, directing servers and setting up tables.
He was putting the finishing touches on the wine tasting he had organized to help support the Ladies Hospital Auxiliary鈥檚 efforts to raise money for a Sonosite Edge Ultrasound Machine.
The group is on a mission to raise $60,000, to bring a portable ultrasound to Jasper for use in emergency care. The machine is a versatile tool that can help medical professionals more quickly and accurately diagnose a number of conditions.
Bowen said he put together the wine tasting in just a couple of weeks, after he found out about efforts to bring the machine to Jasper. He wrangled up the volunteers and did the planning, but said the event could not have taken place without all the support from local businesses, and of course, the museum.
鈥淭his is really a story about the community of Jasper,鈥� he said, noting that not only did businesses step up to the plate with donations, but the people of Jasper did as well.
鈥淭he support of the restaurants, to just jump to the pump like that,鈥� he said. 鈥淲hen you have people like that it makes it easy.鈥�
He explained that as soon as he put the word out about the fundraiser, people started snapping up tickets, and the event quickly sold out.
With 60 wine enthusiasts each paying $100 for a chance to test their knowledge at the tasting, $6,000 was raised 鈥渁t the drop of a hat,鈥� said Bowen.
Lorraine Wilkinson is a registered nurse at the Seton Healthcare Centre, and is one of the driving forces behind the fundraising efforts.
As well as her efforts on behalf of the Ladies Auxiliary, she has also been raising money on her own by collecting more than $4,000 in pledges supporting her upcoming marathon run in Antarctica.
Like Bowen, she gushed at the generosity of Jasperites, listing off people and businesses in town that have all donated large sums of money.
鈥淚鈥檝e been stopped in the pharmacy,鈥� she said, a smile on her face.
Her contribution, combined with the money the group has raised together, and money rustled up by Cpl. Ryan Gardiner of the RCMP, has already brought the group more than $12,000.
Fundraising for the ultrasound began a month ago, with Wilkinson, Gardiner, Dr. Declan Unsworth and a number of other community members coming together for the cause.
Once the money is raised, the machine could help to diagnose heart failure, retinal detachment, septic shock and gallbladder pathology, among other things.
To pitch in for the portable ultrasound machine, contact the Cottage Medical Clinic at 780-852-4885.
Trevor Nichols
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