There was an air of celebration at the Innisfil town hall on Wednesday evening.
Members of council, town staff, and volunteers involved in fundraising for the Rizzardo Health & Wellness Centre gathered for a new funding announcement.
Innisfil Self Storage and the Eisses family of Innisfil announced a gift of $100,000 toward the new centre, now under construction on the town campus lands at Innisfil Beach Road near Yonge Street.
The Rizzardo Health & Wellness Centre will provide much-needed access to health care within the municipality when it opens later this spring. The 4,134-square-metre, state-of-the-art facility will house family doctors, diagnostic imaging and lab services, a walk-in clinic, pharmacy, Telehealth Ontario, mental health and addictions counselling, and more.
“It will be a game-changer for this community,” said the town’s chief administrative officer, Jason Reynar. “Health care has been woefully inadequate for so long.”
Mayor Lynn Dollin noted that “almost to the day, one year ago” council members broke ground for the new centre.
“To me, the remarkable piece is the outpouring of generosity from our community,” she said.
Dollin pointed out the $100,000 gift from the Eisses family and Innisfil Self Storage brings fundraising to within $200,000 of “our $3.5 million fundraising goal.”
Representing the family, Harry Eisses thanked the brother-sister team of Diego and Sandra Rizzardo, of SanDiego Homes, for launching the process with their gift of $2 million.
“They’re an inspiration to us,” he said. “Innisfil is a great place… The Eisses family has benefited much from being part of this community. We hope others will give.”
“What an incredible gift,” said Dollin. “The Eisses family is truly rooted in Innisfil… shaping the health and well-being of the community for generations to come.”
General manager of Innisfil Self Storage, Tony Gainsbrook, credited community support with helping build the company from a small to major business, with more than 700 clients.
“It’s a great opportunity to give back,” he said.
Donations can be made online at YourHealthInnisfl.ca, in person at the Innisfil town hall, or call 705-436-3710 ext. 2426.
