Kelowna, B.C. — February 5, 2020— In honour of Crowe MacKay LLP's recent 50th Anniversary, the firm has donated $50,000 to the Kelowna General Hospital (KGH) Foundation. This donation is a direct reflection of Crowe MacKay's commitment to invest in their communities, caring for their people and clients.
The KGH Foundation was the charity of choice, as they embark on a campaign to raise funds for an Electrophysiology (EP) Lab. Once completed the hospital would be able to perform advanced heart rhythm services, which currently it cannot, resulting in over 75,000 residents from the southern interior of B.C. being placed on waiting lists for beds to become available in Vancouver or Victoria. Patients who are hospitalized in Kelowna prior to treatment are transported via air ambulance, alone. While family members and loved ones are encouraged to join them, not everyone can afford the travel time, or finances required to be away from home. Furthermore, post procedure and recovery time, the patient is left to find their own way home. Adding to the burden of eventual travel, operational capacity demands, and access concerns at the three hospitals often means Interior Health patients are left waiting beyond recommended wait times.
For Crowe MacKay, it was clear this financial contribution was simply a reinvestment into their own community, the very same community where the vast majority of their clients are based — some of which were pivotal in the growth of business and infrastructure around the Okanagan.
Kelowna Managing Director, Dave Gautier, hopes his team sees the impact they all have in their community, "We recognize that we have been fortunate to practice in such a vibrant, growing community, and along the way, we have strived to support the community that has supported us."
The firm is an active member in the Kelowna community and their ongoing involvement in providing scholarships to UBCO and Okanagan College, being a leader with the United Way, and supporting KGH and BC Cancer Agency capital initiatives over the years are just a few of the many causes they invest in.
Don Turri, Kelowna Partner and prominent firm leader for over 30 years, reflects on why Crowe MacKay has made giving a priority in their business model, "We have always had a strong understanding that we earn our living from our community and have a responsibility to contribute back. It was a positive byproduct of our initiative that our entire team embraced our philosophy." The way Don sees it, is that "Crowe MacKay was living Corporate Social Responsibility well before it became a coined term."
Corporate Social Responsibility is built into the foundation of Crowe MacKay, being one of the principles that attracts great talent to the firm. Rohan Jacobs, Manager in the Kelowna office, believes, "having a strong sense of pride and passion regarding a corporation's community involvement are important factors for young professionals when determining their career path." He continues to stress the upcoming generation of leaders, "see significant value in how corporations interact with their communities.
So, what does $50,000 mean to the KGH Foundation and the people of B.C.'s interior? It translates to being one step closer to completing the EP Lab, which will support approximately 450 electrophysiology procedures and 150 implantable cardioverter-defibrillators (ICD) procedures annually; adding to the over 11,500 cardiac patients who have already received lifesaving cardiac treatment at KGH since 2012.
"We are grateful for the relationship we have with Crowe MacKay and their staff. This generous gift demonstrates their commitment to the wellbeing of the patients of this community and those dedicated to their care," says Allison Ramchuk, Chief Development Officer of the KGH Foundation.
In celebrating the milestone of 50 years in business, Crowe MacKay credits its success to its core values. As Dave Gautier says, "Our team is proud to be a part of an organization that gives back as we live our core values: We Care. We Share. We Invest. We Grow."
