OSMH Foundation Receives Largest Donation Ever
By John Swartz
A press conference was held Tuesday at Soldiers’ Memorial Hospital to acknowledge a donation of $3.3 million from the Weber Foundation.
The donation was made by the Weber Foundation, created by Reinhart and Alexandra Weber in 1997.
“(It) is a gift that will provide generational benefits to everyone who turns to OSMH for their care,” said Soldiers CEO Carmine Stumpo.
“One hundred percent of the $3.3 million dollars will go toward the future hospital project.”
Stumpo further stated plans to build a new hospital are moving along.
“Our current focus is on site selection, which is well under way, and we hope to have some news later this year that we can share with the community.”
Perry Esler, OSMH Foundation president and CEO, said this is not the first time the Weber Foundation has donated money to Soldiers’.
The Weber Foundation had previously donated $700,000, “to many different parts of the hospital, but a lot of it to the geriatric program. This is a total donation of over $4 million over the last ten years,” Esler said.
The Weber Foundation has focused on donating to organizations in North Simcoe County.
“The Weber Foundation has always donated to healthcare in the area. We’re having a change because of my age and we have enough money, so I thought that was a good way,” to use the money Weber said.
The Soldiers’ donation was part of $22.5 million of donations to various groups, including hospitals in Barrie and Midland, which was announced July 2 in Midland. It was also the 70th anniversary of the date Weber took up residence in Canada after emigrating from Germany.
The donation announced this week is the largest single donation the Soldiers’ Foundation has ever received.
(Photos by Swartz – SUNonline/Orillia) Main: OSMH Foundation president Perry Esler holds a cheque for $3.3 million Reinhart Weber donated to Soldiers’ Memorial Hospital through his Weber Foundation.
