Take a seat at a table in support of the Queensway Carleton Hospital
A storm.
A fallen tree.
A newborn baby.
In combination, they have inspired a creative idea; urging you to take a seat at a table in support of local healthcare.
When a 150-year-old Burr Oak at the Queensway Carleton Hospital was blown over during a devastating storm last May, doctors, nurses and staff were heartbroken.
"The mighty oak stood tall and proud and came down right on the awning of our hospital’s west entrance," said QCH Foundation President and CEO Shannon Gorman.
"The storm took down an incredible piece of hospital history."
"It was a massive tree," said Katie Barrett, a Digital Fundraising, Marketing and Communications Associate at the QCH.
"The tree itself wasn’t just split in two; it was uprooted right out of the ground."
A short time after, Tim Holland and his wife Rachel were at the hospital preparing to give birth to their second child.
While walking the grounds to accelerate Rachel’s labour, Tim, a talented woodworker, saw the fallen oak, and boldly asked his wife, Rachel, to take his photo in front of it.
"I said, 'Look how big this is', and I got her to take a couple of pictures of me," he said chuckling.
"She wasn’t thrilled. But it all worked out in the end."
Tim Holland poses in front of the fallen Burr oak on the grounds of the Queensway Carleton Hospital. He is making a table using wood from the tree. It’s for sale in the “Hope Returns Online Auction” to support healthcare at QCH (supplied)
Hours later, Tim and Rachel welcomed a daughter, their second child to be born at the QCH.
Their time at the hospital also gave birth to a creative idea. Tim couldn’t stop thinking about that beautiful old tree.
"There aren’t too many big, beautiful trees left in the city. When one comes down, you have to do as much as you can to save the wood," said Holland.
"I was thinking it would be awesome to get it to my shop, or at least salvage as much of it as I could."
Holland wanted to do something to say thank you to healthcare workers for their tireless work in the face of so much adversity. And he wanted to show his gratitude to the QCH for helping to bring his two daughters into the world.
On Instagram, he posted the photo Rachel had taken of him with the tree and tagged the Queensway Carleton Hospital Foundation.
"And within an hour, they were calling me."
Tim and QCH team members came up with a plan for Tim to creatively use the wood, while supporting care at the QCH.
Tim Holland, his wife Rachel and their baby with QCH Foundation President and CEO Shannon Gorman (supplied)
After sawing and milling the wood on the property, one of the giant slabs from the Burr Oak will be used by Holland to craft a stunning live-edge dining room table.
He would also fashion several charcuterie boards from smaller pieces of the tree.
The table, the boards, and several other items—from trips to sports packages—are being sold in the Queensway Carleton Hospital’s "Hope Returns Online Auction". Bidding is open until Oct. 26 at 9 p.m.
"That tree, but not for Tim, would have ended up in the wood chipper. It’s such a crucial piece of history for the hospital, and it’s so meaningful the way he’s turning it into something great for us," said Gorman.
"Tim is an incredibly skilled woodworker and this table will be a feature, a centrepiece, in someone’s home. It’s a one-of-a-kind piece with lots of history behind it," she said.
"And 100 per cent of the proceeds will be going in support of equipment, thanks to the generosity of our sponsors."
"We’re a community hospital and when people come here they feel that true sense of community, and they really want to do what they can to give back. And we’re so grateful," said Gorman.
An example of one of Tim Holland’s handcrafted live-edge tables. He will be making a table similar to this, now available for sale in the Queensway Carleton Hospital’s “Hope Returns Online Auction” (supplied)
And Tim Holland is grateful for the chance to use his gifts to say thanks for everything the QCH has done for his family.
"It was an important tree for the hospital. Every nurse or doctor seems to have a story about sitting under that tree, or walking by it every day. It was there before the hospital was even built," said Holland.
"It would have been very disheartening to see that tree go into a chipper. Both my daughters were born at the QCH, I have been there many times, so has my family. It’s great to be able to help out when we can."
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
'Anything to win': Trudeau says as Poilievre defends meeting protesters
Prime Minister Justin Trudeau is accusing Conservative Leader Pierre Poilievre of welcoming 'the support of conspiracy theorists and extremists,' after the Conservative leader was photographed meeting with protesters, which his office has defended.
What is changing about Canada's capital gains tax and how does it impact me?
The federal government's proposed change to capital gains taxation is expected to increase taxes on investments and mainly affect wealthy Canadians and businesses. Here's what you need to know about the move.
'My stomach dropped': Winnipeg man speaks out after being criminally harassed following single online date
A Winnipeg man said a single date gone wrong led to years of criminal harassment, false arrests, stress and depression.
Bank of Canada officials split on when to start cutting interest rates
Members of the Bank of Canada's governing council were split on how long the central bank should wait before it starts cutting interest rates when they met earlier this month.
Pilot reported fire onboard plane carrying fuel, attempted to return to Fairbanks just before crash
One of the two pilots aboard an airplane carrying fuel reported there was a fire on the airplane shortly before it crashed and burned outside Fairbanks, killing both people on board, a federal aviation official said Wednesday.
'One of the single most terrifying things ever': Ontario couple among passengers on sinking tour boat in Dominican Republic
A Toronto couple are speaking out about their 'extremely dangerous' experience on board a sinking tour boat in the Dominican Republic last week.
Quebec nurse had to clean up after husband's death in Montreal hospital
On a night she should have been mourning, a nurse from Quebec's Laurentians region says she was forced to clean up her husband after he died at a hospital in Montreal.
7 surveillance videos linked to extortions of South Asian home builders in Edmonton released
The Edmonton Police Service has released a number of surveillance videos related to a series of extortion cases in the city now dubbed 'Project Gaslight.'
Ukraine uses long-range missiles secretly provided by U.S. to hit Russian-held areas, officials say
Ukraine for the first time has begun using long-range ballistic missiles provided secretly by the United States, bombing a Russian military airfield in Crimea last week and Russian forces in another occupied area overnight, American officials said Wednesday.