More than 60 people were on hand at Sacred Heart Healthcare Centre in McLennan Sept. 30 to celebrate the hospital's 20th anniversary of operations in the region. The event, which included complementary coffee, cake and tours of the facility, kicked off outside near the main doors with a special statue unveiling by the Sacred Heart Ladies Auxiliary. Ladies auxiliary president Shannon Soucy said the statue was purchased through local fundraising efforts, the majority of which was achieved from a casino fundraiser held in September of 2007. "This project would not have been possible without the support of parish and council members from the Catholic Church here in McLennan," SOucy said, acknowledging the contributions of Denise Zawacki, Paul & Rollande Dubrule, Hector & Leona Dubrule, Gerry & Lillian Beland, Diann Rondeau, Anne Letourneau, Diane Notenbomer and Irene Girard. The brief unveiling ceremony was followed by a special rededication of the statue and facility by Deacon Reginald Bouchard, associate chaplain for Sacred Heart Healthcare Centre. Barb Mader, director of health services for the healthcare centre, and mistress of ceremonives for the event, then provided background information on the history of the hospital. "As with most of the original hospitals in the north, many were operated under the direction of the local church, which in the case of the McLennan hospital was the Sisters of Providence," said Mader in her opening comments. This group of devout women came to the area in mid-June of 1929 and had the original 27-bed hospital open and fully operational by Dec. 14 of that year. The Sisters of Providence operated the hospital for the next 41 years until the reigns were handed over to the district board in 1971. Work on the new Sacred Heart Healthcare Centre, meanwhile, began in the 1980s with the finishing touches completed by 1988. From there, Mader acknowledged the continued efforts of a number of non-profit organizations for their valuable contributions to the hospital. They include the ladies auxiliary, Palliative Care Society and Long Term Care Ladies Auxiliary. "These organizations have worked extremely hard to providing much to ensure the comfort and needs of residents are continually met. I would like to thank them for the commitment and dedication," Mader emphasized. Offering a congratulatory message on behalf of Hector Goudreau, Dunvegan-Central Peace MLA/Minister of Employment & Immigration was constituency assistant Michelle Simoneau, who presented Mader with a certificate of recognition to commemorate the occasion. "On behalf of Minister Goudreau I would like to extend my sincere congratulations to Sacred Heart Healthcare Centre during the celebration of its 20th anniversary," Simoneau said. "This healthcare centre provides a vital service in our community and region, thanks to the dedication and commitment of our medical personnel, administration and staff in providing the best possible service to residents." Echoing that sentiment on behalf of local physicians was Chief of Medical Staff, Dr. Pieter de Wet. "It's not the building which has made this hospital the success it is today it's the key individuals working here who make the biggest difference," Dr. de Wet explained. Also in attendance to mark the special event was former Peace Country Health CEO Brian Hrab (the first administrator for Sacred Heart Healthcare Centre), who took a trip down memory land by touching base on the integral role of long-time physician 'Doc" Harvey Fish in helping to make the new hospital a reality. "The first real push for a new hospital was back in 1968 when Dr. Fish sent out a letter requesting additional auxiliary beds. That was the start of the planning process," Hrab indicated. The formal part of the celebration was followed by tours of various parts of the facility and a power point presentaion in the hospital board room.