The Future in Mind Campaign has exceeded the goal of raising 35 percent of the money required to build and furnish The Irene and Leslie Dubé Centre for Mental Health. The campaign's honorary co-chairs, Mary Ellen and Ian Buckwold unveiled the grand total of $10,828,696 with a simulated fireworks display at Royal University Hospital this morning.
Originally, the campaign committee was tasked with raising $7.5 million dollars. But that goal had to change in 2008 as construction costs increased. "In our current construction environment, costs can fluctuate," says Mary Ellen Buckwold. "The original 20-million dollar cost of the building escalated to 23-million." The Saskatchewan Government had committed to fund 65 percent of the building's costs.
Volunteers with The Future in Mind Campaign and the two hospital foundations working in partnership, Royal University Hospital Foundation and Saskatoon City Hospital Foundation, also rose to the challenge and worked even harder to raise the extra money for construction, furnishings, and equipment. The Dubé Centre is currently under construction near the site of the existing mental health facility, the Hantelman Unit. It is scheduled to open in early 2010.
Exceeding the fundraising goals means that the Foundation's next plan is already well in motion. "From the outset of the campaign, we wanted to ensure the legacy of The Future in Mind Campaign would be a long-lasting one," says Zeba Ahmad, volunteer chair of the RUH Foundation. "We are able to announce today the establishment of a $2.5 million Community Mental Health Endowment."
The Endowment will be dispersed in the form of grants into areas such as staff recruitment and retention, education for caregivers, public education, pre and post-hospitalization supports bridging the centre with the community, and research into new treatments and therapies.
"Those of us who work with mentally ill people in the community believe that people can recover full and meaningful lives," says Gayle Mast, Executive Director of the Canadian Mental Health Association, Saskatoon branch. "Working in collaboration with the Saskatoon Health Region and with the support of the Community Mental Health Endowment, community based organizations together with staff of the health region will be better able to provide the support that can help someone get back on their feet."
The Endowment was supported with a $500,000 gift from Lawrence and Patricia Rychjohn as well as an allocation from the RUH Foundation. Contributions to the endowment may be made by contacting the RUH Foundation.
Thank you to all who contributed to The Future in Mind Campaign and to all those who will continue to support the Community Mental Health Endowment!
