There are many “people” in need in this city and region, over 500 more sawmill workers being laid-off, soaring child poverty rates, homeless, addictions, etc.

I suppose this is a round about way of easing human suffering, but not so much directly for a Church to donate money to. But I get it; health care funding to the provinces have been “capped” by the Harper Conservatives, while health care service demands continue to increase with our aging baby boomer population.

I suppose our health care system is poverty stricken as well, but still, the governments should be stepping up to fully fund the health care system, while the churches should be more involved in bearing burdens and easing human suffering in a more direct and meaningful way, IMO.

Maybe these churches should be donating money to soup kitchens and homeless shelters, now there would be immediate and direct impacts to some people that really need the basics in life… like food and shelter?

I sort of agree People. I donated to that radiophone all the while thinking – why isn’t this just standard equipment paid for by our taxes. But, at the same time, I live here, the gov isn’t going to pay for it, and I know the better the equipment, the better chances we’ll get specialist to stay here, so I gave.

Possibly the church recognized they made money on a sale of land – that they’ve never paid property taxes on, so gave back something to the taxpayer’s of PG. I guess they could have given it to the city but maybe they didn’t want to fund a PAC.

As for the poor, the issue isn’t a lack of basic necessities – I’ve been poor, and my family and I never starved, and we didn’t need a food bank – because we weren’t addicted, drinking, smoking, owned an iphone, etc.

The poverty problem in this area is more related to mental illness, addictions, and poor money management. You can survive on welfare – survive being the key word, just not thrive.

At least this $20,000 will provide something that will benefit the community for a while to come.

WTG Gateway Christian Ministries!! Thank you for supporting our community health needs :)

Our health care system is not poverty stricken, but it can always use more funding, to be sure! Health care and education are the two largest budget expenditures in the provincial budget!

The Prince George community of citizens has helped previous efforts to raise funds for special equipment for many years, being extremely generous! In many instances there has been matching funding by the government!

Way to go, Gateway Christian Ministries and all the others who donated funds for this effort!

Imagine that; a health care system relying more and more on charity, rather than “sufficient” long term stable funding from governments.

I think our current health care system is so overwhelmed and underfunded that it makes a very good “charity case”. ;-)

Our healthcare system receives plenty of funding. What it suffers from is over administration and bureaucracy.

The system is absolutely not relying on charity! Nothing would change in PG if the money for the special equipment had not been given by generous donors! JB is right, he identified correctly what it is suffering from. Call it the 800 pound gorilla in the room.

I agree with JB and PG.

PG states; “The system is absolutely not relying on charity! Nothing would change in PG if the money for the special equipment had not been given by generous donors!”

Wow, a lot of time and effort has gone into donating money to Northern Health over the years…

“Since the inception of the Spirit of the North Healthcare Foundation (June 18, 1991) more than $21 million has been raised through events, lotteries and donations from corporations, foundations and the citizens of our communities. The funds have been used to assist with the purchase of capital equipment and improvements and support of education of health care employees and medical staff.”

http://www.northernhealth.ca/AboutUs/HospitalFoundations.aspx

21 million dollars is a lot of money PG, are you sure it made no difference at all? If you are right, why would the Foundation continue to exist and promote it cartable efforts if everything they have done so far has made no difference?

“Posted by: JohnnyBelt on November 19 2013 4:06 PM
Our healthcare system receives plenty of funding. What it suffers from is over administration and bureaucracy.”

It also suffers from an incredible amount of abuse by those users who think “free” means they’re entitled to daily visits to the ER for the ailment of the day.

People1, what are you unhappy about? These fundraising efforts are and always were completely voluntary! Nobody was forced to give a single dime! I always gave because I wanted to, in support of a worthwhile cause that the local community would benefit from! If you don’t like the concept – don’t support it! If you did and now you are disappointed, don’t do it again!

If the hospital needs something I would rather donate directly where I know every dollar is going directly to the item than pay more taxes. Who knows how much taxes dollars it would take to get a $100k filtered thru to the hospital.

Gitterdun, that is a great comment! They already know which piece of equipment would be a real asset! One knows exactly what the funds are for! Not to forget are the matching funds often provided by the provincial government! Win-win!

Hmm… I thought the Hospital here in Prince George was a regional hospital, supplying more advanced services and “equipment” to regional patients who require transport from outlying northern communities to PGRH.

So if the charities are local, like Gateway, etc. how fair is that? Just thinking out loud, if donations came from regional sources would that not be more “equitable and fair”?

Guess, maybe this is why having the provincial and federal governments fund needed healthcare equipment and supplies makes more sense and is more reliable and equitable than donations.

Maybe donations should go to Northern Health for distribute throughout northern BC, would that not be a fairer way of doing things? Hmm… lots to thinks about.