PARTNERSHIP WITH THE RAMADA EXTENDS THE CARE EXPERIENCE TO CIRCLE OF ANGELS DONORS
 

When Sheri McCrystal first started working as a nurse at St. Paul’s Hospital (SPH) in 1998, she volunteered to have a small amount of money automatically taken off her cheque to support the Hospital. Almost 20 years later, she no longer works at SPH, but she still gives a monthly contribution.

Sheri is a member of St. Paul’s “Circle of Angels,” a group of individuals committed to giving a monthly donation to the Hospital. Now nursing faculty at Saskatchewan Polytechnic, Sheri takes her students to St. Paul’s for their clinical rotations. “It’s just like coming home because there’s still people there I know who I worked with a long time ago. It’s a special place.”

As a Circle of Angels monthly donor, her name was drawn as a winner for a prize package from the Ramada. “It’s touching and it’s very thoughtful of St. Paul’s,” Sheri says. “It’s a lovely gesture.” Sheri plans on treating her partner for his birthday by taking him to a comedy act and a night at the hotel.

(l-r) Denine Hanson, Ramada Regional Director of Sales and Marketing with Circle of Angels donor Sheri McCrystal and Kari Sinkewicz, St. Paul’s Hospital Foundation Manager of Annual Giving

Denine Hanson, Regional Director of Sales and Marketing at the Ramada, says the hotel was more than happy to offer the prize package to the Circle of Angels donors. “These are the selfless donors who donate and contribute regularly to helping out the community of St. Paul’s, and that we can be a part of that is really exciting.”

The partnership with the Ramada extends beyond prize packages: the hotel also offers a discounted rate of $99 per night to anyone affiliated with St. Paul’s Hospital, whether that be staff, patients, caregivers, or family. Plus, for every night purchased at the discounted rate, they give a donation to the Hospital.

In speaking with St. Paul’s Hospital Foundation, Denine learned there was a need for accommodations for patients and staff, so the Ramada stepped up to create a more formal relationship between the Hospital and the hotel.

“It was a really good fit to work with St. Paul’s Hospital,” says Denine. “The heart and soul of St. Paul’s is people -- it’s a patient and family-centered approach, and we’re a guest-focused hotel. We’re able to support the sense of hope and healing St. Paul’s is known for giving, and extend that care into the accommodation experience.”

For her part, Sheri McCrystal hopes that the monthly prize inspires other donors to sign up. “I tell my children that part of living is caring and giving,” say Sheri. “St. Paul’s Hospital is like a little family, providing important resources for patients and staff, but also for the surrounding community, and it’s so easy to give a little every month.”

If you would like to sign up or learn more about becoming a Circle of Angels donor, contact Kari Sinkewicz, Manager of Annual Giving at 306-655-5835.