Dave Gray - the POOCH Guy
Dave - the POOCH Guy
By Monica Alyea
Much has been written and spoken about Dave Gray of POOCH fame in the last few weeks. Dave passed January 23, 2023. Dave was a special friend of the Prince Edward County Memorial Hospital. He was also a man who inspired me and reminds me of “the power of one.” Here's the backstory.
Leo Finnegan joined the PECM Hospital Foundation Board in 2011 after retiring as Mayor. I joined a bit later at his suggestion. During our previous eight years together on Council, there had been a heated time with the then Quinte Healthcare Corporation. Hospital amalgamation seemed to threaten closure of our local hospital site as it suffered multiple bed and service cuts. The provincial government of the day was convinced that amalgamation would result in taxpayer savings. However, an embarrassing lack of knowledge of our basic local geography and demographics by bureaucrats at both levels at the time made it feel like craziness. I'll always remember the packed to the rafters public meeting where some bureaucrat with influence on the decisions commented:
“But nobody lives south of Picton.” As a three-decade resident of South Marysburgh at the time, I was gobsmacked – and not alone!
Leo's retirement from Council allowed him to fully put on the gloves for the fight for our hospital. He wasn't alone. A long time County transplant, Dave Gray, felt something like this would “take a village.” So he created “POOCH” - Patrons of Our County Hospital. So many potential meanings in that acronym were aired amongst the numerous morning coffee gatherings - from your friendly best buddy to ready for a dogfight - all serving to fire up folks.
Dave knew about busses and he knew about people. He had been a bus driver for the Toronto Transit Commission for many years. In 2013 POOCH booked four busses and invited citizens to participate in a peaceful rally at Queen's Park to protest further service cuts to PECM Hospital. About 300 people took part that day and a petition of 5,520 signatures was presented to our MPP Todd Smith. A small group, including Dave and Leo, got to meet briefly with the “political” heads for health services in Ontario. Their message was clear – we needed our hospital.
When I became Chairperson of the Foundation board, Dave and I would more frequently fall into conversation about the hospital. Sometimes he came across as downright grouchy and I had to remind myself that it was his passion for the place and its services that was driving him. His words and commitment inspired me. As an individual citizen, he was unfettered about working through the system and protocols. There is something to be said about having that kind of community individual energy at work as part of achieving a greater good. The power of one. Dave took that seriously.
On October 18, 2019, POOCH declared its confidence in a significant future for County based hospital services with the new hospital (site) announcement. The members were satisfied their work of “SOS- Save Our Services, Save Our Site” was complete and presented a final cheque for $1,500 to the PECMH Foundation. At that event Shannon Coull, executive director of the Foundation, had this to say. “Pooch's commitment to health care in the County speaks to the importance of community involvement and the impact it has on the quality of care for those residing and visiting here and who use our hospital. We are so grateful.”
On behalf of the Foundation Board, I want to recognize the personal and passionate efforts of Dave Gray in continuing hospital services in Prince Edward County. I so wish he could have been here for the shovel breaking ground for our new build.
Thanks Paula for sharing Dave - and for being a volunteer with the Hospital Auxiliary too.
For information about our hospital, or to make a donation call 613-476-1008 ext. 4507, or visit the foundation’s website at www.pecmhf.ca.
