Our friends with the Community Carol Service were off the scales when they presented the Prince Edward County Memorial Hospital Foundation with a donation on Wednesday.

The inspiration for their charitable efforts came from a very musical place.

On December 4, 2022, after a hiatus due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the Community Carol Service Group, along with five other local church choirs brought the Christmas Carol Service back. It was hosted at Picton United Church.

The sweet melodic sounds of the holiday carols inspired over 400 attendees to open their hearts and raise $1,300 that will Back the Build for Prince Edward County’s new hospital.

“The Community Carol Service has occurred on the first Sunday in December for over 30 years,” said Pat Bentley, co-chairperson of the Community Carol Service. “The event has historically raised funds for the Picton United Church Food Bank and the Christmas Angel Program among other worthy causes. This year, we wanted to be inclusive of the entire community so we chose to Back the Build because we realize the importance of having a hospital in our community that serves the needs of everyone.”

“We have been so inspired watching the community come together and work hard to support the building of this new hospital,” said Sally Cowan, Back the Build campaign cabinet volunteer. “Continued support from groups, like the Carol Service is vital as we continue to raise the funds needed to equip our new hospital with major medical equipment devices like a new mammography machine and CT Scanner, and explore environmental sustainability enhancements like solar energy and geothermal. Our new hospital will be built so those needing medical attention in our community will continue to receive the best care possible in a modern facility.”

“We wanted to contribute in a positive way and the hospital foundation does such great work in our community, and for our hard-working healthcare professionals, that we thought they were a great choice for this year’s carol service contribution,” said Rosemary Moore, co-chairperson of the Community Carol Service group.

The Prince Edward County Memorial Hospital Foundation is a charitable organization dedicated to raising funds to advance health care for the patients of the hospital and the people of Prince Edward County.

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Pictured in front of the Picton United Church from left: Rosemary Moore, Community Carol Service co-chairperson; Barbara McConnell, chairperson of the PECMH Foundation; Pat Bentley, co-chairperson of the Community Carol Service; Reverend Brian Nicholson from the Picton United Church and Sally Cowan, Back the Build campaign cabinet volunteer.