Mayor’s Gala 2019
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Cortellucci family
makes historic $40-million donation to new Mackenzie Vaughan Hospital
It gives me immense pleasure to officially announce that the Cortellucci family has donated a historic $40 million toward building the new Mackenzie Vaughan Hospital, Mayor Maurizio Bevilacqua said in a keynote address to an audience of nearly 1,000 people during the 2019 Mayor’s Gala.
Mayor Bevilacqua
chairs the $250-million Mackenzie Health Foundation’s Exceptional Care Belongs Here Campaign. More than $160 million have
been raised toward constructing Vaughan’s first hospital. “The Cortellucci
family’s donation marks the largest single contribution in Mackenzie Health’s
history,” Mayor Bevilacqua said.
The Cortellucci family has an admirable,
selfless and extensive history of giving back to ensure Vaughan has a bright
and promising future. In July 2018, Mayor Bevilacqua hosted a special ceremony
at Vaughan City Hall to announce the Cortellucci family had stepped forward
with a $3-million donation that will go toward building the Hospice Vaughan – Mario
& Nick Cortellucci Hospice Palliative Care Centre of Excellence. Mayor
Bevilacqua also chairs Hospice Vaughan’s A
Better Ending Capital Campaign.
In January 2019, Mayor Bevilacqua was joined
by the Cortellucci family to announce the expansion of Niagara University’s new
campus to the Vaughan Metropolitan Centre, the city’s emerging downtown core. It
is located walking distance from the VMC TTC subway station and further
connected by vivaNext bus rapid transit service. Niagara University is the
first university in Vaughan and York Region.
Cranes tower over the 1.2-million square foot
Mackenzie Vaughan Hospital site, which can house up to 550 beds. The new
hospital is a $1.6-billion initiative. It will employ over 1,800 full-time
hospital staff and be the first in Canada to feature fully integrated smart
technology systems and medical devices that can speak directly to one another
to maximize patient care. Last fall, Mayor
Bevilacqua, Members of Council and the community marked the hospital topping-off
ceremony to celebrate reaching the highest point of construction and moving closer
to opening the hospital in late 2020.
The 2019 Mayor’s Gala theme is #WeAreVaughan.
It represents pride of citizenship and the knowledge that all people have an
important and enduring role in creating a city that is admired across the
country and around the world. Since 2011, the efforts and events of Mayor
Bevilacqua’s Spirit of Generosity commitment have raised more than $70 million.
Proceeds have gone to help over 200 not-for-profit and community organizations
that play a vital role in shaping the City of Vaughan.
QUOTES
“The
2019 Mayor’s Gala is a momentous occasion. This year’s gala will be remembered,
cherished and celebrated as another important milestone embodying the work we
have undertaken to ensure people have access to modern, quality and world-class
front-line healthcare. Vaughan is blessed to be the destination of choice for
so many families who have chosen to make Canada their home. Like many men and
women who immigrated to Canada, the Cortellucci family have spent their lives
giving back, helping all people, especially our most vulnerable citizens. Their
exceptional generosity and support for the Mackenzie Vaughan Hospital is an
example of what we can achieve when we work together. The Cortellucci family
are philanthropic leaders and Vaughan’s first-ever hospital will stand as a
testament to their inspiring legacy of unwavering public service.”
-
Mayor
Maurizio Bevilacqua
“Our
family’s journey is one that embodies the immigrant experience. It is to work
hard, do your best, contribute and share your blessings. We are especially
grateful to the Vaughan community that we have called home for the last 25
years. And, we are humbled to contribute to the Vaughan Hospital, Canada’s
first ‘smart’ hospital. By planting these seeds, we are helping a community and
the members within it to flourish.”
-
Mario
Cortellucci on behalf of the Cortellucci family
“Today’s
announcement is a major step forward in building the ‘smart’ hospital our
community deserves. We’re grateful to the Cortellucci family for their leadership, generosity and
commitment to improving the health and wellness of all patients and their
families in York Region and the promise of care close to home it inspires.”
-
Altaf
Stationwala, President and CEO, Mackenzie Health
QUICK FACTS
- Proceeds from the Mayor’s Gala and Mayor Maurizio Bevilacqua Annual Charity Golf Classic have been used for many important purposes. These include iPads for youth with autism, expansion of hospice programs, camp programs for children, toys for kids at Christmas, support for victims of abuse and a new home for adults with special needs.
- The 2019 City of Vaughan Mayor’s Gala #WeAreVaughan is presented by HBNG (Holborn Group) and RGF (Real Estate Fund L.P.)
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