The Charlotte Eleanor Englehart Hospital and Bluewater Health foundations are coming together.<\/p>\n
Published Mar 12, 2026 \u00a0\u2022\u00a0 2 minute read<\/p>\n
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Charlotte Eleanor Englehart Hospital in Petrolia. Photo by File photo \/The ObserverArticle content<\/p>\n
The Charlotte Eleanor Englehart Hospital and Bluewater Health foundations are coming together.<\/p>\n
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The foundations for the Sarnia and Petrolia Bluewater Health will amalgamate April 1 as the Bluewater Health Foundation.<\/p>\n
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The move was initiated by the foundation that has, for many years, raised money for the Charlotte Eleanor Englehart Hospital of Bluewater Health, said Kathy Alexander, executive director of the Bluewater Health Foundation.<\/p>\n
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Mark Braet, chairperson of the CEE Hospital Foundation speaks at an event in January at the hospital in Petrolia. (File photo\/The Observer) Photo by File photo \/The Observer<\/p>\n
When Bluewater Health was created years ago with the merger of local hospitals, foundations at Sarnia General and St. Joseph\u2019s hospitals in Sarnia also merged, but the foundation in Petrolia continued to operate independently, Alexander said.<\/p>\n
\u201cI\u2019ve been with the foundation for almost 15 years and one of the first, most important relationships that I forged was with the CEEH foundation,\u201d she said. \u201cWe\u2019ve actually had a wonderful, longstanding relationship working with them.\u201d<\/p>\n
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The foundations have been doing more work together in recent years, including sharing proceeds from the annual hospital Dream Home Lottery, she said.<\/p>\n
Alexander sits on the board of the CEEH foundation, and it has a seat on the Bluewater Health Foundation.<\/p>\n
Unlike the Bluewater Health Foundation, which has paid staff, the CEEH Foundation relies on volunteers.<\/p>\n
The foundation in Petrolia \u201cinitiated the conversation, recognizing that with a lot of upcoming fundraising priorities and expectations, that perhaps they needed some additional resources and fundraising expertise,\u201d Alexander said.<\/p>\n
Bluewater Health announced earlier this year that a multi-million-dollar renovation of the emergency and X-ray departments at the Petrolia hospital will move ahead.<\/p>\n
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\u201cIt\u2019s a significant project\u201d requiring \u201ca minimum, probably, of a $4 million fundraising campaign,\u201d Alexander said. \u201cAnd that\u2019s a lot for volunteers to undertake independently without expertise and support.\u201d<\/p>\n
The provincial governments funds \u201cthe day to day operations\u201d of hospitals but communities are expected to support new technology and capital expansions, Alexander said.<\/p>\n
In the case of the Petrolia project, the community, through the foundation, is expected to contribute 10 per cent of construction costs, and 100 per cent of the cost of new equipment and furnishings, she said.<\/p>\n
\u201cThe community has always rallied behind Bluewater Health and CEEH of Bluewater Health and we\u2019re really just looking forward to continuing our efforts as we expand out into the Town of Petrolia,\u201d Alexander said.<\/p>\n
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Both foundation boards, and the hospital, \u201cfully endorsed\u201d the idea of the amalgamation, she said.<\/p>\n
\u201cThis was a thoughtful decision made by the CEEH Foundation board with the future of health care in Petrolia and Central Lambton at the forefront,\u201d Mark Braet, chairperson of the CEEH Foundation, said in a news release.<\/p>\n
\u201cThis amalgamation strengthens rural healthcare philanthropy,\u201d he said. \u201cIt brings more people, more expertise, and more resources to Petrolia, while protecting local priorities, donor intent, and the community\u2019s voice.\u201d<\/p>\n
Volunteers with the Petrolia foundation are expected to remain \u201cengaged\u201d supporting fundraising by Bluewater Health Foundation, Alexander said.<\/p>\n
\u201cThey\u2019re commitment to CEEH is incredible, and that\u2019s not going anywhere,\u201d she said.<\/p>\n
The Petrolia foundation has raised large amounts of money for the hospital in Petrolia over the years and \u201ctheir legacy will continue,\u201d Alexander said.<\/p>\n
Any donations made to the CEEH Foundation will only be used at the Petrolia site, she said.<\/p>\n