ST. JOSEPH'S FOUNDATION OF ELLIOT LAKE
Supporting Health Care for Elliot Lake and Area
St. Joseph's General Hospital • St. Joseph's Manor • Oaks Centre
Tree of Lights 2025
Dear St. Joseph’s Foundation Supporter:
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St. Joseph’s Foundation of Elliot Lake is excited to launch a community-wide call to support our $250,000 Essential Equipment Advancement Project, an initiative that will modernize essential tools used every day by the care teams across the hospital. These upgrades will have a direct and immediate impact on patient care, comfort, safety, and outcomes for patients and families in our community.
This investment will ensure that front-line teams have the modern tools they need to deliver safe, compassionate, and timely care—right here at home.
Each year, thousands of patients rely on SJGHEL for life-saving diagnostics, urgent treatments, and specialized services. Minor equipment—such as patient monitors, ultrasound units, infusion pumps, scopes, chemotherapy drug storage, ventilators, temperature monitoring and alarm systems, cardiac probes and vital signs machines—may be small in scale, but they are essential in nearly every patient’s healthcare journey. These are the tools that help doctors and nurses spot early changes, prevent complications, and keep care moving swiftly from the emergency room to inpatient units and beyond.
“While these pieces of equipment may not be as visible as major capital projects, they have an enormous impact every single day,” said Kelli-Ann Lemieux, President and CEO of SJGHEL. “With the community’s support, we can replace outdated devices, expand access to newer technology, and ensure our patients and families receive the best possible care close to home.”
Why This Matters
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Improved patient outcomes: Updated equipment allows for faster, more accurate assessments and earlier interventions.
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Enhanced comfort and safety: Reliable, modern devices reduce delays, streamline workflows, and help families feel confident in the care their loved one is receiving.
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Stronger local healthcare: Investing in minor equipment supports physicians, nurses, and allied health professionals with the tools they need to deliver world-class care.
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Community impact: Every donor—individuals, families, service clubs, and local businesses—directly contributes to building a stronger, healthier community.
A Community Effort With Immediate Impact
Because minor equipment is used thousands of times per year, donor contributions begin making a difference immediately. Even modest gifts can have life-changing outcomes, helping clinicians respond quickly in emergencies, reduce wait times, and ensure critical information is available when it matters most.
“This is a project that everyone in our community can feel connected to,” said Deborah Dubois, Foundation Chair. “Whether it’s a newborn needing monitoring, a senior receiving treatment, or a loved one awaiting a diagnosis, this equipment touches all of us.”
How to Help
The Foundation invites individuals, organizations, and businesses to join us in reaching our $250,000 goal. Every gift—big or small—moves us closer to safer care, better technology, and a healthier future for the people we love.
La Fondation St. Joseph d'Elliot Lake est ravie de lancer un appel à l'ensemble de la communauté afin de soutenir son projet de modernisation des équipements essentiels, d'un montant de 250 000 dollars, une initiative qui permettra de moderniser les outils essentiels utilisés quotidiennement par les équipes soignantes de l'hôpital. Ces améliorations auront un impact direct et immédiat sur les soins, le confort, la sécurité et les résultats pour les patients et les familles de notre communauté.
Cet investissement permettra aux équipes de première ligne de disposer des outils modernes dont elles ont besoin pour prodiguer des soins sûrs, attentionnés et rapides, ici même, chez nous.
Chaque année, des milliers de patients comptent sur le SJGHEL pour des diagnostics vitaux, des traitements urgents et des services spécialisés. Les équipements mineurs, tels que les moniteurs patient, les appareils à ultrasons, les pompes à perfusion, les endoscopes, les dispositifs de stockage des médicaments de chimiothérapie, les ventilateurs, les systèmes de surveillance de la température et d'alarme, les sondes cardiaques et les appareils de mesure des signes vitaux, sont certes de petite taille, mais ils sont essentiels dans le parcours de soins de presque tous les patients. Ce sont ces outils qui aident les médecins et les infirmières à détecter les changements précoces, à prévenir les complications et à assurer la continuité des soins, des urgences aux unités d'hospitalisation et au-delà.
« Même si ces équipements ne sont pas aussi visibles que les grands projets d'investissement, ils ont un impact énorme au quotidien », a déclaré Kelli-Ann Lemieux, présidente-directrice générale de SJGHEL. « Grâce au soutien de la communauté, nous pouvons remplacer les appareils obsolètes, élargir l'accès aux nouvelles technologies et garantir à nos patients et à leurs familles les meilleurs soins possibles à proximité de leur domicile.
Pourquoi est-ce important ?
• Amélioration des résultats pour les patients : des équipements modernisés permettent des évaluations plus rapides et plus précises, ainsi que des interventions plus précoces.
• Confort et sécurité accrus : des appareils fiables et modernes réduisent les délais, rationalisent les flux de travail et aident les familles à avoir confiance dans les soins prodigués à leurs proches.
• Renforcement des soins de santé locaux : investir dans des équipements mineurs permet de fournir aux médecins, infirmières et professionnels de santé associés les outils dont ils ont besoin pour dispenser des soins de classe mondiale.
• Impact sur la communauté : chaque donateur (particuliers, familles, clubs philanthropiques et entreprises locales) contribue directement à bâtir une communauté plus forte et en meilleure santé.
Une initiative communautaire aux effets immédiats
Les équipements mineurs étant utilisés des milliers de fois par an, les dons ont un impact immédiat. Même les dons modestes peuvent changer des vies, en aidant les cliniciens à réagir rapidement en cas d'urgence, à réduire les temps d'attente et à garantir la disponibilité des informations critiques au moment où elles sont le plus nécessaires.
« C'est un projet auquel tous les membres de notre communauté peuvent s'identifier », a déclaré Deborah Dubois, présidente de la fondation. « Qu'il s'agisse d'un nouveau-né nécessitant une surveillance, d'une personne âgée recevant un traitement ou d'un proche en attente d'un diagnostic, cet équipement nous touche tous. »
Comment aider
La Fondation invite les particuliers, les organisations et les entreprises à se joindre à nous pour atteindre notre objectif de 250 000 $. Chaque don, petit ou grand, nous rapproche d'une prise en charge plus sûre, d'une meilleure technologie et d'un avenir plus sain pour les personnes que nous aimons.
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Supporting Health Care for Elliot Lake and Area
St. Joseph's General Hospital • StJoseph's Manor • Oaks Centre
TREE OF LIGHTS 2025 SPECIAL DEDICATION
Foundation Board Members:
Pictured Left to Right
Patti Todevic, Cleta Sarich
representing Earle Jones
Pat Stirling, Cathy Hall
representing Leslie SanCartier
TREE OF LIGHTS 2024 SPECIAL DEDICATION
This year we are honoring two citizens from the Elliot Lake area both of whom worked in the health
field and passed away due to cancer.
Earle Jones
September 15, 1953 – June 25th, 2024
Earle was born in Montreal, QC and grew up in the Eastern Townships. He had a great love of music and played guitar, wrote songs and sang with Oliver Klaus as well as performing on his own.
Earle had a passion for the outdoors, canoeing, snowshoeing and going on his ATV.
Earle returned to school as an adult to obtain his degree in nursing, following which he worked as a homecare nurse for Bayshore. He loved knowing that he could help people in their recovery or support them in their journey to the end. Even near the end of his own life he was concerned for his patients.
Earle served on the Board of St. Joseph’s Foundation for two years
Lesley Mary San Cartier was born in Birmingham, England. Following graduation from Queen Elizabeth School of Nursing Lesley came to Canada in 1962 to work in Northern Ontario at St. Joseph’s General Hospital for a year which turned into 30 years.
Lesley had a passion for knitting, crafting and baking. She was a volunteer for Special Olympics, Club 90 and the Harvest Kitchen for many years.
TREE OF LIGHTS 2023 SPECIAL DEDICATION
Pictured are Louise Farkouh & Roland Aube
along with Deborah Dubois Chair and Earle Jones
Vice Chair of the Foundation
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In Memory of Leslie Aube & George Farkouh
We lost a valued Foundation Board member this past year.
Leslie Claire (Shamess) Aubé died following a courageous 20 year battle with cancer.
Leslie moved to Elliot Lake in 1967 where she taught for 30 years until her retirement. For many years she was a music teacher.
During her career and after retirement, Leslie continued to serve her community. She served as Vice-Chair on the Board of St. Joseph’s Foundation of Elliot Lake. She was a life member of St. Joseph’s Hospital Auxiliary and sat on the Board of Directors of the Hospital for 12 years, finishing her term as Chairman. Leslie was also on the board of directors of various organizations including the White Mountain Academy, the Arts Club and the Elliot Lake Legal Clinic.
Leslie and her husband Roland volunteered their time assisting in the organization of the Annual Elliot Lake Community Christmas dinner for five years.
Leslie was an artist and painted numerous scenes of the North Channel; she was known as the rock lady. She donated several paintings over the years and cruised the North Channel of Lake Huron extensively as the admiral on the family boat.
Leslie will be missed for so many reasons, two in particular are her smiling face and beautiful blue eyes.
L'année dernière, nous avons perdu un membre important du conseil de fondation.
Leslie Claire (Shamess) Aubé est décédée après une lutte courageuse de 20 ans contre le cancer.
Pendant sa carrière et après sa retraite, Leslie a continué à servir sa communauté. Elle a été vice-présidente du conseil d'administration de la St. Joseph's Foundation d'Elliot Lake. Elle était membrè à vie de St. Joseph’s Hospital Auxiliary et a siégé au conseil d'administration de l'hôpital pendant 12 ans, terminant son mandat en tant que présidente. Leslie a également siégé au conseil d'administration de diverses organisations, dont la White Mountain Academy, le Arts Club et la Elliot Lake Legal Clinic.
Leslie et son mari Roland ont participé bénévolement à l'organisation du dîner de Noël annuel de la communauté d'Elliot Lake pendant cinq ans.
Leslie était une artiste et a peint de nombreuses scènes du North Channel ; elle était connue sous le nom de "rock lady". Elle a fait don de plusieurs tableaux au fil des ans et a beaucoup navigué dans le chenal nord du lac Huron en tant qu'amiral du bateau familial.
Leslie nous manquera pour de nombreuses raisons, dont deux en particulier : son visage souriant et ses magnifiques yeux bleus.
George was born in Acre, Palestine on May 27, 1947. In April 1948, the family was forced to leave their home and move to Beirut, Lebanon, as refugees. In August 1959, the Farkouh family was sponsored by George’s oldest brother, who moved the family to Elliot Lake.
George completed his elementary and secondary education in Elliot Lake, then went on to graduate with degrees from Laurentian University and Western University, including a Masters in Business Administration (MBA) from the Ivey School of Business in 1973.
In 1973, George married Louise, and in 1975, they decided to move from Toronto back to Elliot Lake, so that George could partner with his brother Fawzi to open Farkouh Chevrolet. In 1986, George and Louise purchased Algoma Chrysler Inc., eventually expanding to three locations.
George was first elected as a Councillor of Elliot Lake in 1986, and then elected and served as Mayor from 1988 until 2006. He was a member of the Masonic Lodge and served on many boards, including St. Joseph’s General Hospital and Elliot Lake Retirement Living. George was an active member of the Elliot Lake Tennis Club and Stoneridge Golf Course, where he enjoyed not only the sport, but the time to socialize with his friends and visitors to Elliot Lake.
George always believed in the community of Elliot Lake and wanted generations of families to enjoy its many offerings, it was the city he loved, where he met Louise, and where they raised their five children. George had a great love of life, even after his cancer diagnosis, he was determined to live life to the fullest and fought a very brave battle until the end. George died on August 29, 2023, he is sadly missed, but always remembered, especially by Louise, his children, and his grandchildren.
George est né à Acre, en Palestine, le 27 mai 1947. En avril 1948, sa famille a été contrainte de quitter sa maison et de se réfugier à Beyrouth, au Liban. En août 1959, la famille Farkouh a été parrainée par le frère aîné de George, qui l'a installée à Elliot Lake.
George a fait ses études primaires et secondaires à Elliot Lake, puis a obtenu des diplômes de l'Université Laurentienne et de l'Université Western, dont une maîtrise en administration des affaires (MBA) de l'Ivey School of Business en 1973.
En 1973, George a épousé Louise et, en 1975, ils ont décidé de quitter Toronto pour revenir à Elliot Lake, afin que George puisse s'associer à son frère Fawzi pour ouvrir Farkouh Chevrolet. En 1986, George et Louise achètent Algoma Chrysler Inc. et l'étendent à trois emplacements.
George a été élu pour la première fois conseiller municipal d'Elliot Lake en 1986, puis il a été élu maire de 1988 à 2006. Il était membre de la loge maçonnique et a siégé à de nombreux conseils d'administration, notamment ceux de l'hôpital général St. Joseph et d'Elliot Lake Retirement Living. George était un membre actif du club de tennis d'Elliot Lake et du terrain de golf Stoneridge, où il appréciait non seulement le sport, mais aussi le temps passé avec ses amis et les visiteurs d'Elliot Lake.
George a toujours cru en la communauté d'Elliot Lake et a voulu que des générations de familles profitent de ses nombreux avantages. C'est la ville qu'il aimait, où il a rencontré Louise et où ils ont élevé leurs cinq enfants. George aimait beaucoup la vie, même après le diagnostic de son cancer, il était déterminé à vivre pleinement et a mené une bataille très courageuse jusqu'à la fin. George est décédé le 29 août 2023. Il nous manque beaucoup, mais nous nous souviendrons toujours de lui, en particulier Louise, ses enfants et ses petits-enfants.
TREE OF LIGHTS 2022 SPECIAL DEDICATION
Special Dedication Photo
Left to Right
Cleta Sarich (foundation board rep)
Christine Dean
Brenda Farquhar
Wendell William Farquhar
Wendell was born in Little Current, Ontario on Manitoulin Island. He moved to Elliot Lake with his family in the Spring of 1958. Wendell attended ELSS and worked in the family dairy business. In 1965 he married his childhood sweetheart, Brenda Wilson and they became the parents of two beautiful boys. Around 1971 Wendell left his family’s business and ventured out on his own creating a sand and gravel construction business. Wendell Farquhar Trucking Ltd., a business he owned and operated until his death. Wendell took great pride in hiring local employees allowing families to remain in Elliot Lake. Wendell’s legacy lives o through his respected and unbiased leadership and his dedication in helping to create the strong community we are today.
Dan Dean
Dan was a Registered Medical Laboratory Technologist, a Registered Microbiology Technologist and a Registered Cytology Technologist. His career began at the Woodstock General Hospital 1971. In 1981 he became the Manager of Bio- Science Laboratory in Windsor. In 2001 Dan, moved to Elliot Lake where he finished his career reading cytology smears for Gamma- Dynacare Laboratories.
Dan was very involved in his Church, The Knights of Columbus and his community. He enjoyed his time volunteering at the Food Bank for many years. He served two terms on the SJGH board of Governors as the Bishop’s representative. He served on the Hospital Foundation until he became ill earlier this year.
Dan was ordained a Deacon of the Diocese of Sault Ste. Marie in 2014 and served in this capacity at Our Lady of Fatima Parish (now Paroisse Ste Bernadette Parish) in Elliot Lake ministering to the spiritual needs of parishioners and at St Joseph General Hospital, St. Joseph’s Manor, Huron Lodge and Hillside Park.
Dan was a quiet family man with a keen sense of humour.
TREE OF LIGHTS 2021 SPECIAL DEDICATION
Wilma Ingram moved to Elliot Lake with her husband John in 1959 where they raised six daughters. Wilma was very active in the community volunteering her time as a chaperon on school trips, camping with Brownies, Royal Canadian Legion, Salvation Army and at St. Joseph’s General Hospital.
Wilma Ingram est déménagée à Elliot Lake avec son époux en 1959 où ils ont élevé six filles. Wilma était très active dans la communauté en faisant du bénévolat en tant que chaperon pendant les voyages d’école, en faisant du camping avec les Brownies, en participant à la Légion royale canadienne, l’Armée du Salut et l’hôpital général St-Joseph.
Wilma Ingram
Robert Stirling moved to Elliot Lake with his parents in 1958 where he attended public and high school. Bob was a strong supporter of his community. Over the years he served on the school board, Parks and Recreation Committee, Chamber of Commerce and ELNOS. Bob promoted a healthy life-style and would take the time and effort to help new people enjoy sports.
Robert Stirling est déménagé à Elliot Lake avec ses parents en 1958 où il a fréquenté l’école publique et l’école secondaire. Bob était un partisan actif de notre communauté. Au cours des années, il a siégé au conseil scolaire, au comité des parcs et loisirs, à la chambre de commerce et à ELNOS. Bob faisait la promotion d’un mode de vie sain et il prenait le temps et faisait l’effort d’aider les gens à profiter des sports.
Robert Stirling
TREE OF LIGHTS 2020 SPECIAL DEDICATION
Valerie Hosken
Valerie was a long-time resident of Elliot Lake who worked as an RPN and Pharmacy Assistant at St. Joseph’s General Hospital from 1978 – 2007. Val died surrounded by her loving family and friends in the hospice suite, a room once part of an active obstetrics ward where she worked. Hearing from Val in her last days, this was a room which was at times filled with her passion for nursing and a fondness for those babies under her care. Val will be missed dearly by all who had the fortune to meet her.
Karen Poulin
Karen was born in Kirkland Lake. She moved to Elliot Lake in 1982 and graduated from ELSS (around 1984. She started working at St Joseph's hospital in 2000 working in housekeeping almost 20 years before she became ill. Karen was well liked by her many co-workers and was other hospital staff . She was known as being a very caring, thoughtful and laidback and always thought of others before herself.
TREE OF LIGHTS 2019 SPECIAL DEDICATION
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L to R: Board Member Cleta Sarich, Charlie Flintoff, Jane Primeau, Board Member Dan Dean, Bill Flintoff.
Carl Flintoff
Ralph Primeau
The lights of this year’s St. Joseph’s General Hospital Foundation's annual Tree of Lights were all aglow Sunday evening at St. Joseph’s General Hospital in Elliot Lake.
This year, the Tree of Lights was in honour of two long-time Elliot Lake residents who died this year, Carl Flintoff and Ralph Primeau. This year, the lights were switched on by Jane Primeau, widow of Ralph Primeau.
More than 50 people attended the annual tree lighting ceremony.
While Pierre Ozolins, St. Joseph’s General Hospital CEO, was unable to attend this year’s tree lighting ceremony, Elliott expressed Ozolins and the hospital staff’s appreciation and support from the public.
Cleta Sarich delivered the greeting of the Sisters of St. Joseph of Sault Ste. Marie. The blessing was performed by Dan Dean.
The Jewels and Gents choir performed a couple of Christmas carols, including Joy to the World and Silent Night.
Ann Foy says that this year, she is unable to hold the Christmas Cantata. However, the Jewels and Gents will be performing at a number of locations over the next few weeks.
The event was concluded with the attendees going to the hospital cafeteria for refreshments.
SPECIAL TREE OF LIGHTS DONATION 2018
Carl Flintoff presents Board Member Cleta Sarich with a $5000.00 cheque in memory of his wife Jacqueline Flintoff .
TREE OF LIGHTS 2018 DEDICATION
Tree of Lights dedicated in memory of Julia Lahaie and Tom Rodgers. In photo (left to right) is Liz Rodgers and Helen Rodgers, Micheal Lahaie and Tree of Lights co-chair Cleta Sarich,
TREE OF LIGHTS 2017 DEDICATION
