Article published in The Napanee Beaver on May 28, 2009.

Freedom 55 Financial™ brightens LACGH with $50,000

Contribution supports digital imaging campaign

Kingston, May 28, 2009 - At the redeveloped Lennox and Addington County General Hospital (LACGH), there is an open-air courtyard where patients and staff can go outside and enjoy a sunny day.

Last Tuesday was a sunny day at the hospital, in more ways than one.

Freedom 55 Financial, the financial security planning division of London Life, presented the hospital’s ongoing Digital Diagnostic Imaging Campaign with a cheque for $50,000 through The Key to Giving™, the national corporate citizenship program of Great-West Life, London Life and Canada Life. With the contribution, the courtyard off the hallway near the coffee shop will be named the Freedom 55 Financial Courtyard.

Freedom 55 Financial Regional Director Rick Tomalty said the contribution meshes well with the company’s philosophy of giving. “We contribute to organizations focusing on health and wellness, education, social services, arts and culture and civic initiatives.”

“This fits right into our areas (of giving), and helps provide a great service to so many in our community throughout eastern Ontario.”

Tomalty was joined by Dianne Dowling, Tim Reynolds and Bob Vrooman, Napanee-area financial security advisors with Freedom 55 Financial.

The contribution evolved from an initial, and unrelated, contact between a financial security advisor with Freedom 55 Financial and L&A County General Hospital Foundation Donations Facilitator Alida Nugent.

When the representative heard about what Nugent and the Foundation were working towards for the Digital Diagnostic Imagining Campaign, he said he’d discuss a possible contribution with his supervisors. From there, things quickly began to snowball.

According to Nugent, the contribution now leaves the foundation about $1 million away from its $3.3 million campaign goal. She says the foundation hopes to raise that amount by next spring.

“We’re really pleased that (Freedom 55 Financial) stepped forward for the hospital and the community,” said Robert Paul, the co-chair of the Foundation’s ongoing campaign, expressing thanks on behalf of the hospital.