Organizers of a province-wide fundraiser are optimistic it will provide a major boost to the campaign for a new hospital to Rosthern.
The Sask Valley Hospital Foundation (SVHF) is currently awaiting final approval from the Saskatchewan Liquor and Gaming Authority (SLGA) before officially launching the SVHF 50/50 Lotto.
Once the SLGA lottery license is approved, the SVHF 50/50 Lottery will run September 1 to November 30. Single tickets are priced at $10, while 10 tickets sell for $25, 50 tickets for $50, and 200 tickets for $100. Tickets can be purchased online at SVHF.net once the lottery is officially launched.
“This is a new initiative that we’re hoping will bring in funds from a bigger area,” said Kevin Melnyk, a Rosthern pharmacist and member of the SVHF Committee. “We’ve raised over $6.5 million so far locally toward our goal of $10 million. This lottery is something we think will catch on in our local area, and also go beyond that to attract interest right across the province.”
Melnyk said the lottery will have a cap of $500,000.
“So if we sell out, the winner will get $250,000,” he said.
The SVHF was created more than a decade ago to oversee efforts to raise funds for a new, modern facility to replace the 73-year-old Rosthern Hospital. In addition to a dedicated property tax levy in Rosthern and other communities in the Twin Rivers District, funds have been raised locally over many years by service organizations and through special events.
Earlier this year, the provincial government committed $2.6 million in its 2023 budget for planning three new health care facilities, including a regional hospital in Rosthern. The planning phase, which involves determining the design and function of the new hospital, including the type of services to be provided, could take up to two years to complete.
The estimated cost of the hospital is expected to exceed $40 million, and the local communities are committed to raising 20 per cent of the total cost. The SVHF is aiming to have $10 million in the kitty when construction begins.
“The budget announcement was a huge breakthrough for the project,” said Melnyk. “Now we’re focusing on making a big push to get the funding in place so we’ll be ready to go when the time comes.”
Melnyk said 50/50 lotteries are popular in Saskatchewan, and ticket prices are very affordable.
“Ten dollars buys you a chance on the prize,” said Melnyk. “Obviously, we’re also hoping to attract a lot of $100 dollar buyers.”
Melnyk said once the new regional hospital is built, it will significantly ease pressure on major hospitals in Saskatoon and Prince Albert.
“We already serve a big area because there is a spill-over from the two major centres,” said Melnyk. “We have a lot of people come to the emergency room in the existing hospital in Rosthern because they can drive out and see a doctor in Rosthern and then drive back to Saskatoon in the same amount of time, or less, than they would spend waiting to see a doctor in Saskatoon. We also see people from Prince Albert. It’s a busy hospital.”
Additional information on the Sask Valley Hospital campaign is available online at SVHF.net