Community Foundation helps fund emergency generator project for Lakelands FHT

Oct 13, 2021

The Community Foundation for Lennox and Addington (CF-LA), in partnership with the Mazinaw Community Fund, Lakelands Family Health Team and the Township of Addington Highlands, are pleased to announce the installation of emergency back-up generators at the community medical clinics

During these extraordinary times, area residents are increasingly aware of the importance of access to dependable health care. The emergency generators will be installed at both the Northbrook Medical Centre and at the Addington Highlands Community Centre in Denbigh.

For many years Dr. Tobia and Lakelands Family Health Team, with clinics in Northbrook and Denbigh, joined more recently by the Northbrook pharmacy, have offered medical advice and comforting assistance to the local community. Because of frequent power outages over the years, it became very apparent that auxiliary electricity was necessary for these locations.

Local community activists Margaret Axford and Ian Brumell recognized this need and, taking advice from Dr. Tobia and Lakelands Family Health Team, in conjunction with their Mazinaw Community Fund, decided to give back and partially fund these auxiliary power installations.

Jan Powell, Executive Director of the Lakelands Family Health Team, explains the importance of the project.

"Lakelands Family Health Team requires power to run the clinics on a daily basis. Power is needed for our electronic medical records, heating, cooling, security, water, and electrical systems. Historically, we have needed to close whenever a power outage occurs, cancelling all inpatient care and requiring the immediate transport of vaccines to alternate sites with cooling & freezing capabilities.  The emergency generators project ensures that Lakelands Family Health Team will be able to remain open for delivery of care during power outages. From Lakelands Family Health Team, our current patients, future patients, other tenants in the buildings and on behalf of our community, Lakelands Family Health Team thanks everyone who has played a role in delivering this project!"

Dennis Mills, President of the CF-LA, said this project is an important one for the foundation so support.

“A foundation, in every sense, is a firm and sustainable base upon which we build for the present and the future. The Community Foundation for Lennox & Addington and the Mazinaw Community Fund are thrilled to be providing $60,000 to this much needed project. It is the largest single grant made in our history. We gratefully appreciate the generous citizens of Lennox and Addington County who ensure essential capacity to make our community thrive.” “This particular donation is made possible through the Mazinaw Community Flow-Through Fund and the leadership and generosity of Margaret Axford and Ian Brumell.”

The Mazinaw Community Fund has been providing grants to charitable projects throughout Addington Highlands since its establishment in 2006.

Addington Highlands Reeve Henry Hogg said: “the Township is very grateful for the generous donation from the Community Foundation for Lennox & Addington to install standby generators at the Medical Building in Northbrook and the Addington Highlands Community Centre in Denbigh. It is vital to the internal operations of the LFHT and to the people it serves in our community and the surrounding areas, that they can continue to operate during normal hours during power outages.  And, it is also vital to have a secure continuous power supply during off hours to protect refrigerated vaccines and medicines within these facilities. There are other tenants in these buildings including a Pharmacy, Public Library, Community Food Bank, and Community meeting and recreational areas that also significantly benefit with continuous power.”

The opening celebration will take place on Monday, October 18 at 11:45 am at the Northbrook Medical Centre, 12357 Hwy. 41 Northbrook.

About the Community Foundation for Lennox & Addington

The Community Foundation for Lennox & Addington is an umbrella charity that works to enhance the communities of Lennox and Addington County through charitable grants and the awarding of scholarships and bursaries in support of local students. $1,329,159 in awards have been made since the Foundation’s creation in 1987.