Sturgeon Community Hospital Foundation host successful Gala

The Sturgeon Community Hospital Foundation hosted a successful gala last weekend, bringing together over 600 St. Albertans to support the local organization.

On Saturday, January 28th, the annual Friend Raiser Gala was held at the Enjoy Center on Riel Drive to celebrate the foundation’s 30th anniversary in the community and to mark the first in-person event since early 2020.

Corinna Dooley, board member of the Sturgeon Community Hospital Foundation and chair of the gala, said the evening was a great success.

“We welcomed over 620 people to the Enjoy Center and are happy to consider it the most important event of the year in St Albert,” she said.

Dooley said the foundation sees the event as an opportunity to celebrate the foundation’s many supporters and ensure guests have a “wonderful experience.” Funds raised at the event will be used towards the foundation’s ongoing capital goal of $1.5 million.

“It’s still too early to tell what the donations have brought [from the gala] are accurate, but we think it’s an incredible success based on the buzz in the room. The generosity of the people who were there, the generosity of the sponsors and donors leading up to the events. And of course the evening, too,” said Dooley.

The foundation plans to use the funds raised to create an integrated clinical simulation center at Sturgeon Community Hospital – a learning tool for medical staff to practice skills in a simulated environment.

“We really see it as a dedicated space in the hospital designed to support interdisciplinary learning where anyone who attends, the paramedics, respiratory therapists, the resident physician, can be a learner,” explained Dooley. “Simulation-based learning really just offers opportunities to make mistakes, try new skills and processes, and learn together.”

“I think one of the most important things is that the foundation is excited about the opportunities the simulation center will bring to the community as we look forward to the future of healthcare in St Albert and in our community. We know that strong health teams are already working in our hospitals. And we believe they will continue to do so for the next 30 years and beyond. But we believe this is a real piece that can increase the collective competence of the medical professionals at the hospital,” Dooley added.

As for future events, the foundation is planning its annual golf tournament this August.

For more information on Sturgeon Community Hospital Foundation fundraisers and upcoming events, visit sturgeonhospitalfoundation.org.