Niverville’s innovative new primary care access centre was the focus of the tenth annual Heritage Centre fundraising gala held on November 5. The Heritage Centre banquet hall staff rose to the occasion, providing champagne and prime rib in a glamorous Phantom of the Opera-themed setting for 250 attendees. The event proceeds, totalling $45,000, will help to fund improvements to the new centre, expected to open in the spring of 2017.

A cornerstone of the evening was the unveiling of the medical centre’s new name: Open Health Niverville. 

“It is my hope, in presenting to you Open Health Niverville, that we tie our healthcare aspirations to those of this town, for whom I am both grateful and proud,” said Dr. Chris Burnett of the Niverville Medical Clinic. “We seek to create an environment that offers appropriate care, locally, timely and convenient, open to all regardless of race, religion, social standing, or sexual orientation. [The name] Open Health expresses our desire.”

The new 5,000-square-foot facility, to be located on the ground floor of the life lease project, will provide easy single-entry access to all of Niverville’s medical services including primary healthcare, lab services, a chronic disease team, public health, a Family First program, and mental health services.  

As master of ceremonies, Mayor Myron Dyck opened the evening with a word of hope. “It is said [that] one draft horse can pull 8,000 pounds,” Dyck said. “Two together, you would think, could pull 16,000 pounds, but you would be wrong. Two working together can pull 24,000 pounds. But this is still not all. Once the horses train and become familiar with one another they can actually pull 32,000 pounds, four times what one can do on their own. The application is obvious. We need everyone to work together to truly be a healthy community.”

Award-winning humourist and keynote speaker Bill Carr kept the audience in stitches with his slapstick approach to work, family, and life. He completed his comedic routine on a more serious note, moved by the vision of a small community’s drive to create a model such as the Heritage Centre campus. 

“You have a sense of community, a sense of vision, and a sense of value that is invaluable,” Carr said.

Before the evening closed, Heritage Holdings Inc. spokesperson Gord Daman took to the stage to pay tribute to a key player in the Heritage Centre’s success, George Sawatzky, an all-around community builder. Daman recounted Sawatzky’s many years of work as the big-hearted manager of the Niverville Credit Union, his 50 years of volunteer service, and his behind-the-scenes philanthropy.

“That same quiet and unadvertised commitment of generosity that George holds deep in the recesses of his heart and soul has helped to shape and create what we all take for granted here today at the Heritage Centre,” said Daman. “It was with great regret that our board accepted George’s retirement from the Heritage Centre earlier this year. While no one is indispensable, some are certainly harder to replace then others, and replacing George as a board member will not be easy.”

Sawatzky was presented with a plaque in recognition of his many years of service on the Heritage Centre committees.