An Olds couple who passed away months apart in 2020 have left millions to buy equipment for Olds Hospital and Care Centre.
Darwin Luft, aged 64, died in August 2020 and his wife Sandra Luft, 65, died in October 2020.
They left a multi-million-dollar estate to the Olds HealthCare Fundraising Committee, which has created the Luft and Ross Family Hospital Equipment Trust. The money was donated in memory of Darwin’s parents, Donald and Jane Luft, and Sandra’s parents, William and Dorothy Ross.
“The full magnitude of this gift cannot be measured at this time, though it is safe to say that it will have a significant impact on the Olds community today,” said a statement accompanying the announcement of the unspecified donation.
“While not all of the gift will be placed in the Luft and Ross Family Hospital Equipment Trust, a significant portion has been. The remainder will be carefully looked at and discussed with the Olds Hospital leadership to determine what new equipment can be purchased immediately.”
The creation of the equipment trust allows for an annual disbursement to be used for equipment purchases from the growth of the trust, which means it can provide ongoing support rather than through a one-time donation.
“It is the hope of the Olds HealthCare Fundraising Committee that the Olds community will rally behind the Luft and Ross families and strive each year to match this growth so that together we can all assure state-of-the-art Healthcare in the Olds community. Although, the gift itself is on its own incredible, honouring the family and stepping forward with them can make it even more amazing and impactful.”
The committee is working on plans to formally recognize the gift at the hospital and a way to let people know what the Lufts’ gift has been able to provide each year.