PAGE 2, WEDNESDAY. APRIL 30i 19ý86, WHITBY FRE E PREÉS Lofthouse Iionoured for service to J.O. Ruddy- George Lofthouse lias a lot of fine memories attached ta the Dr. J.O. Ruddy Hospital and last week, in a special ceremony, the people of Whitby capped off those memorles with a tribute ta Mr. Ljoftliouse and the 20 .years lie served on theéliospital's board of directors before flnafly retlring thls winter. When Mr. Lofthouse first came ta the board Whitby didn't even have a liospital, it was still a dream in tlie minda of Dr. Ruddy and the other board members. He joined the building committee and worked witli people like Dr. Ken Hobbs and' Gordon Richards and, as Mr. Lofthouse puts it, "There was an awful lot to do." The liospital's first directors were respon- sible for developing tlie hospital from an idea in- ta a reality. Tliey liad ta find the site, oversee the planning, design and construction, and see ta it that there was a first rate staff witli the best in available technology at their disposai once tlie hospital took shape on Its site adjacent ta the Whitby Psychatric Hospital. "It really wasa very interesting >time" recalled Mr. Lofthouse last week. "Wliitliy was a growing town and everybody liad ta go to Osliawa or Ajax for medical care-and people just felt it was time that this, community liad a hospital of its own. "There was s0 mucli ta lie done. We lied ta organize fund raising campaigns, get after tlie province for grants, meet witl tlie con- sultants and discuss fit- tlng the liospital with the site and the com- munity's needs and al the modern features of a liospital ...1 It was, in short, a hec- tic time and, naturally, tliere were some disap- pointments along tlie way too. When tlie hospital was designed, an olistetrical unit was included in the plans and, indeed, in the ac- tuai construction as well. However, the Ministry of Healtli decided after the hospital was liuilt that, due ta the falling birth rate, an obstetrics department was no longer warranted. As a resuit of that decision the unit remained idie for more tlian ten years and only in the last two years lias it been opened up as a contînuing care unit. If lie was disappointed la tlie provlnce's decision not ta complete the obstetrical depar- tment however, Mr. Loftliouse is very proud of tlie continuing care unit and, in fact, lie was one of its prime mavers. Personally I feit you couldn't serve a com- munity sucli as ours witliout an obstetrical department but there was a lot of opposition at tlie time and the Depar- tment of Healtli just said 'no way.' That decision by the province significantly reduced the number of active lieds originally planned for the hospital and caused the board ta readdress its prlorities. "Wlien you cut back tlie number of active lieds like that you've really got ta scurry around and take a good look at tlie future and what the raie of the liospital will lie. You have ta ask yoursell 'Are we going ta lie jusi another wing of Oshawa Genler4V? and tliat? when we started looking at cantinuing care,"' said Mr. Loftliouse. The unit as it exista today Is very well plan- ned, accarding ta Mr. Lofthouse and provides everything needed in tliat critical transition phase liefore the patient witli a good chance of reliabiitation returns home. There are, for, example, kitchens in the unit wliere patients ad- SEE PG. 3 SGeorge Loftliouse spent 20 years on the board of the Dr. J.O. Ruddy Hospital liefore. flnally retirlng thia winter. Last week, many people tur- ned out for a party at the liospital lionourlng Mr. Lofthouse's retirement and lie told the Free Press afterwards that lielias many fine memories of his association with the liospital. Freeress Staff Photo Brea k, Enter, Theft Thieves smashed a rear liay door of Brougliton tawing at 401 Hopkins St. Tliursday niglit, and made off with numerous tools. Police report $45 damage was done to the door but there is no dollar figure on how mucli the tools were wortli. The crime is un- der investigation. Good Companion Winners The Good Companions Senior Citizen's Club Bazaar on April 12 was a liig success and the prize winners have now lieen selected. B. Shier of 604 Gilbiert St. in Whitby was the winner of the clown doîl; grocery hampers were won by Mr. Sturgess of 909 Greenwood Cres. and R. Guthrie of R.R.2, Whitliy; the afghan was won liy G. Boland of 315 Colliorne St. W. in Whit- by and the dinner for two at Swiss Chalet was won by L. MacCarl of 215 Reedaire Crt. in Whitliy. 'CONOM