Aylmer Health Co-op Foundation ceases activities

The Fondation Santé Gatineau is in the process of absorbing the Fondation des Services de Santé d’Aylmer (FSSA). During its September 20 general assembly, members of the board of directors voted unanimously to amalgamate the FSSA with the Gatineau organization.

FSSA President Pierre Joanis told the Bulletin, “For now, everything is working as usual. We are waiting on legal details -- and the agreement with the Fondation Santé Gatineau.”

All members of the Board of Directors have agreed to stay until all funds and files are transferred to the Gatineau Foundation. Any FSSA remaining funds are reserved for the Centre Renaissance.

Mr Joanis explained that the FSSA money will be deposited in a Fondation Santé Gatineau special account, reserved for the Centre Renaissance. “People who want to donate only to the Centre Renaissance will still be able to do so”, he said.

Lack of volunteers

As it is the case with many Aylmer associations, volunteers are exhausted and the lack of new volunteers forced the board to favour the amalgamation.

“We have been keeping this afloat for years. This year, we didn’t hold our annual golf tournament for lack of volunteers. We are all in the same boat, it is difficult to find new volunteers,” explained Mr Joanis. Four of the five board members are over 70 years old.

“When we spread the news that the FSSA needed help, only one person showed some interest,” added Mr Joanis.

Since the 90s, the FSSA has organized fund-raising activities such as the golf tournament and gave the proceeds to health institutions in Aylmer. For example, from 1999 to 2003, Aylmerites contributed $400,000 to the FSSA. Aylmer’s Centre Renaissance received $275,000.  $95,000 was used to buy electric beds and $85,000 went to the Jardins de Renaissance Residence.

(Transl. CB)