The St. Thomas Elgin General Hospital Foundation is holding a free Lunch & Learn on June 5, 2026, to help residents learn how to support the hospital through planned giving and estate strategies. The event, called Advising with Impact, runs from 11:30 a.m. to 1:00 p.m. in the Elmview Conference Room at the hospital, 189 Elm Street.
Partnering with Edward Jones, the session aims to show people how charitable giving can be part of their long-term financial plans. Topics will include legacy planning and how residents can make a lasting difference for local healthcare in St. Thomas and Elgin County.
This event comes as the Foundation celebrates its 40th anniversary. Founded in 1985 by community leaders, it has now raised more than $80 million from over 3,300 donors. Those gifts have funded equipment, technology, and facility upgrades at the regional hospital, including the recent Transforming Tomorrow campaign that brought the area’s first MRI to STEGH after raising over $9.6 million.
Ryan Byrne, the Foundation’s Executive Director since January 2026, brings more than 15 years of experience in marketing, communications, and fundraising from organizations like St. Joseph’s Health Care London Foundation and Western University. He works alongside STEGH President and CEO Karen Davies to identify emerging needs at the hospital. The Foundation also participates in the national Will Power campaign, which encourages Canadians to include charitable bequests in their wills.
Residents can register for the lunch through the Foundation’s LinkedIn page. The session is one of several 40th-anniversary activities this year, with a Ruby Jubilee Gala also set for October 23, 2026.
