6th Annual Rock for Care Raises $7,000 for Digital Mammography
The 6th Annual ‘Rock for Care’ held March 9th at The Longhorn Pub raised $7,000 and set a new record as their best fundraising year ever.Since 2009, ‘Rock for Care’ has raised more than $28,000 towards medical equipment for the Polson Tower and Cancer Centre at Vernon Jubilee Hospital. This year’s funds will be designated to the Vernon Jubilee Hospital Foundation’s Take a Picture Campaign to purchase a Digital Mammography unit.
“Digital Mammography is an urgent need within the hospital,” says Sue Beaudry, Director of Development for VJH Foundation. “We have committed to raising funds to purchase this equipment by 2015. It is the only piece of equipment in Imaging that isn’t digital.”
Organized by The Longhorn Pub co-owner Eric Juzwishyn and Rick Zip from Wheelhouse Band, ‘Rock for Care’ is held annually with local bands donating their time and talents in a 12-hour non-stop entertainment from noon to midnight. Twelve BC bands took the stage, with a new act performing every hour.
Juzwishyn attributes the success of the event to many factors. “We get some great items donated to our auction, the bands donate their time, our staff is great, but it’s the customers that are the number one reason for our success.”
‘Rock for Care’ features auction items donated by local businesses. This year’s big ticket item was a Budweiser guitar that fetched a cool $1,000.“The level of dedication from everyone involved in ‘Rock for Care’ from the organizers to the sponsors, musicians and customers” says Sue Beaudry Director of Development for VJH Foundation.Juzwishyn, whose mother was a nurse, sees the VJH Foundation as a way to give back to the community. He chose the VJH Foundation to support as, “Everyone in the community will need the hospital at some point in their lives.”