Sue and Dave grew up volunteering and fundraising for a variety of causes; their fathers had served as presidents of local Rotary Clubs. The two met in in the early 1990s and quickly bonded over a shared passion for helping others. They married and began to volunteer together extensively, including stints on Rotary Club projects in Tanzania and the Ukraine. To devote more time to altruism, they retired early and settled near Alliston, where Sue is Past President of the Rotary Club and Dave volunteers for the Stevenson Memorial Hospital Foundation.

Our international travels helped us recognize just how lucky we are to have such a good healthcare system,” Dave observes. “We know that Stevenson Memorial Hospital faces significant challenges keeping up with the needs of an ever-growing community, and we feel it’s our duty to help in any way we can.”

Located about an hour’s drive north of Toronto, Stevenson Memorial Hospital is a community hospital that serves residents of New Tecumseth and the surrounding area. Founded in 1928 and rebuilt in 1964, the 38-bed hospital has scrambled to accommodate the region’s rapid population growth. For example, the Emergency Department regularly sees six times the number of patients it was designed to serve. To keep pace with rising demand and medical advances, the Hospital plans a $166 million redevelopment project, with the Foundation serving as lead fundraiser.

Community service is a value that we both grew up with and still honour,” Sue says with a smile.

Stevenson Memorial Hospital is one of the reasons we decided to settle here,” Dave adds. “To us, it’s a privilege to be able to support the redevelopment project.”

What’s your reason for leaving a lasting Legacy of Care to the community?