Cherry Lane Shopping Centre has donated almost $40,000 to help acquire medical equipment for the Penticton Regional Hospital expansion.
Judy Richards, general manager of Cherry Lane, said most of the funds stem from the shopping centre’s “Photos with Santa” during the Christmas Season. “We have the best Santa. He’s fantastic,” she enthused.
Over the past two years Cherry Lane has helped increase public awareness of the hospital expansion and the SOS Medical Foundation’s campaign.
“We’re community-minded and want to partner with the community,” Richards said.
Cherry Lane has become an unofficial community hub for the hospital expansion. Posters promoting the SOS Medical Foundation’s PRH equipment campaign adorn many of the walls. “Chat Heads” have also been posted, giving customers an opportunity to outline their own experiences at PRH. “It’s a needed facility. We’re lucky because a lot of communities don’t have hospitals and people have to travel to get to hospital for treatment. So I think Penticton is really fortunate to have this growth to our hospital.”