Paul B. Helliwell Foundation Issues Gift Challenge

Website Editor • June 18, 2021

PICTON, June 18, 2021

We’ve found our match!

Paul B. Helliwell Foundation issues gift challenge to the community

Starting today, all new gifts to the Prince Edward County Memorial Hospital Foundation to help Back the Build for a new hospital will have triple the impact.

The Paul B. Helliwell Foundation has generously offered to make a 2-1 match on all gifts raised by the community for the new hospital campaign, resulting in a total of $1.5M in support of our new hospital build. This triple matching gift initiative means that new donations received will be automatically tripled. For every dollar raised, the Paul B. Helliwell Foundation will donate $2.00. The goal is to raise $500,000 from the community and the Paul B. Helliwell Foundation will donate $1,000,000.
This matching donation only applies to new gifts received from June 18 onward and will not be applied to gifts already accounted for.

John Jenah, president of the Paul B. Helliwell Foundation presented PECMHF with a $200,000 installment to help get the campaign rolling. In recognition of this 2-1 matching gift, the Dialysis Unit inside the new Quinte Health Care Prince Edward County Memorial Hospital will be named in honour of Paul B. Helliwell.

“Members of our community continue to look for ways to help Back the Build in meaningful ways. It is exceptional and inspiring,” said Shannon Coull, executive director of the PECMH Foundation. “I am so grateful for the Paul B. Helliwell Foundation’s generous 2-1 matching donation. This gift serves as a reminder of how community-minded we are in Prince Edward County, working together to maintain our campaign’s momentum and guarantee that health care services are available to those who need it for many years to come.”

Donations made through this matching gift campaign will not only help to ensure our new hospital is built, it will also help to ensure anyone undergoing dialysis treatment in the new QHC PECMH receives the best care possible. The Dialysis Unit located at QHC PECMH is part of the South East Regional Renal Program at Kingston Health Sciences Centre. This clinic provides dialysis treatment for County residents. Having a dialysis unit available in Picton means patients do not need to travel to Belleville or Kingston for this essential service.

“Partnerships are essential to serving our communities. The dialysis clinic at QHC Prince Edward County Memorial Hospital, operated by Kingston Health Sciences Centre, provides lifesaving treatment for patients closer to home. We are thrilled to be able to incorporate a warm and welcoming space for local residents who need specialized kidney care in the design of the new hospital. I am immensely grateful for this remarkable gift that will support our patients for years to come,” said Stacey Daub, president and CEO of Quinte Health Care.

Paul B. Helliwell owned several manufacturing firms with his wife, Neta. They were married for almost 50 years before her passing in 1985. Many years later, Paul married June and they were together for almost 10 years before Paul passed away in 2001. While very successful in business, he was also philanthropic to causes close to his heart.

“Paul Helliwell was born to missionary parents while on a medical sojourn in China. His parents helped shape him into becoming the humanitarian that he was. He was also an entrepreneur, a visionary, an avid sailor, beloved husband and brother who strongly believed in giving back. Paul was a true philanthropist, leaving the bulk of his estate to his foundation to help worthy causes,” said John Jenah, President of the Paul B. Helliwell Foundation. “Thanks to Paul’s tremendous forethought, QHC PECMH’s patients, health care professionals and the community will benefit from his legacy for many years to come.”

The Paul B. Helliwell Foundation has supported many health care facilities including Sick Kids, Humber River Hospital and the Toronto General Hospital.

“Being able to be part of this once in a lifetime opportunity and to be able to help others, especially in health care, would have brought joy to Paul’s heart,” said John Jenah. “Making an impact that is meaningful to the Prince Edward County residents and visitors is what encouraged the Paul B. Helliwell Foundation trustees to make this 2:1 matching donation to help Back the Build. This new hospital promises to be an innovative centre for providing exceptional health care in the community.”

“We’re delighted and incredibly grateful for the generosity that has just come forward. Community support is instrumental in advancing health care at the new QHC PECMH,” said Dennis Darby, co-chairperson of the Back the Build campaign. “Having a hospital nearby is a benefit of living in this community. This matching donation will have a tremendous impact on the thousands of lives who turn to our hospital every year for high-quality care. We thank the Paul B. Helliwell Foundation and the community for their support!”

The Prince Edward County Memorial Hospital Foundation is fundraising to reach a goal of $16.5 million to build and equip the new QHC PECMH, which is scheduled to open in 2027.

For more information or to double your impact by making a gift, please visit our website at www.backthebuild.ca or call 613-476-1008 ext. 4502. Donations may also be mailed to PECMH Foundation, 403 Main St., Picton, ON K0K 2T0.

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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Community Spirit Shines as Bake Off Breaks Fundraising Record PICTON, September 24, 2025 – The sweet smell of success filled the air at the Picton Fair as the 16th annual Bake Off Challenge raised a record-breaking $18,700 for the Prince Edward County Memorial Hospital Foundation (PECMHF). With more than 50 entries and enthusiastic bidding, the community once again proved that a passion for baking can translate into life-changing support for local health care. Proceeds will go toward the purchase of a digital mammography machine, a critical tool for early breast cancer detection. Since 2007, the Prince Edward Agricultural Society, who host the Bake Off has raised over $64,500 for the hospital. This year’s event included a special one-time memorial apple pie category in honour of the late Deputy Fire Chief Jim Young, who was the inaugural Bake Off winner in 2007 with his unforgettable apple pie. A total of 26 apple pies were entered in his honour, raising an incredible $8,250 on their own. Jim’s parents, Colleen and Murray, and daughters, Dahnon and Kendyl, were present to celebrate his legacy. Entries were judged by Ken Menlove, a local lawyer; Jordan Smart with the Ontario Provincial Police (OPP) Auxiliary Unit; Mike Roy, a community member; and Chris Malette, MP for Bay of Quinte. The auction produced plenty of highlights. Firefighter Autumn Benlap’s Caramel Apple Spice Cheesecake topped the apple pie category and sold to Dr. Sarah Waterston, and Elizabeth Lodge’s Lemon Cream Pie, named best overall pie, sold to Herman Prinzen. “The Bake Off is more than a fundraiser — it’s a celebration of community spirit and generosity,” said Shannon Coull, executive director of the PECMH Foundation. “This year’s proceeds will support the purchase of a new digital mammography machine for the new County hospital, and we are so grateful to every baker, bidder, and volunteer who made that possible.” “The Bake Off has become a highlight of the Picton Fair, and it’s inspiring to see how much it has grown,” said Susan Harrington, president of the Picton Fair Board. “The generosity of our community never ceases to amaze us. Thank you to everyone who baked, bid, or volunteered to make this year such a success.” The Agricultural Society also expressed its gratitude to the many individuals and local businesses who made the event possible. “There’s something truly special about seeing friends, neighbours, and businesses come together over pies and cakes to support health care,” said Nancy Parks, Back the Build campaign chairperson. “This event proves that even the simplest of traditions can make a lasting impact on our community.” The Foundation is proud of its longstanding partnership with the Agricultural Society and looks forward to welcoming everyone back to next year’s Picton Fair. The Prince Edward County Memorial Hospital Foundation is a charitable organization dedicated to raising funds to advance health care for the people of Prince Edward County and patients of the hospital.