It’s always a delight when you talk to someone who is really passionate about the work they do. Conversing with Antho Santarossa, there’s a twinkle that comes into his eye when he talks about wood, and his love for the art of woodturning.
A retired Forest Engineering Technician, Antho has been a Cowichan Valley resident since 1986. It was a trip to the Cowichan District Hospital whilst he worked for the forestry industry that sparked a desire to give back. Antho remembers the “care and support” that the healthcare workers gave him, and he started to support the Cowichan District Hospital Foundation as a thank you. Upon retiring, Antho rediscovered a longtime love of woodwork, but “didn’t want to be a businessman”. He decided to donate all the proceeds from sales of his beautiful, hand-crafted bowls to the Foundation. Those donations have added up to thousands of dollars over the years.
Antho’s love of woodturning started young: “in the early 1970s, in junior high school woodworking class, my project was several file handles of roughly the same shape and size. I still have and use two or three!”
Antho says that work and family life kept him from woodworking, but upon retirement woodturning came back into his life. He has received awards for his spectacular pieces, and provided demonstrations and instruction, discovering “camaraderie and friendship in the woodturning community”.
“I have a love for wood because no two pieces are ever exactly the same.” Working in arbutus, maple, cherry and more: “I see or visualize a shape in some of the most unusual parts of a tree.” The wood he uses comes from our community: “I am blessed with friends that provide me with raw wood. I salvage trees whenever and wherever I can, even though it would be less time consuming to just buy the wood! This is where my best work comes from.”
We are so grateful to Antho for choosing to support healthcare in the Cowichan Valley through his incredible talents. If you are interested in viewing or purchasing one of his unique wooden bowls, we have a selection at our office, 7233 Trans-Canada Highway, North Cowichan.
For Dawn and Pieter Baljet, supporting the Cowichan Valley is part of who they are. As longtime residents who have raised a family and built businesses here, their generous gift of $500,000 to the Cowichan District Hospital Foundation reflects their deep commitment to the community they love.
“This community has given us so much,” says Pieter. “We built our business here, raised our family here, and have been supported every step of the way—by customers, neighbours, and friends. It’s shaped who we are. This gift is our way of saying thank you and helping ensure that others continue to feel that same support, especially when they need it most.”
Dawn, who was born and raised in the Valley, adds: “We’ve seen this community grow and change over the years, but what’s always stayed the same is how much people care about one another. Our grandkids are growing up here, our parents are aging here, and we want them all to have access to the best care possible—right here at home. The new hospital will touch every generation, and that’s why this matters so much to us.”
The Baljets’ donation will help fund essential equipment and technology for the new hospital—items not covered by government funding, but vital to ensuring the highest level of care for Cowichan residents. Their contribution comes at a pivotal moment, with all donations currently matched dollar-for-dollar thanks to the generosity of the Jim Pattison Foundation.
“We hope others will join us,” says Dawn. “Every gift makes a difference—and with matching in place, its impact is even greater.”
In addition to their business and volunteer efforts over the years, the Baljets have supported many local initiatives, including the Cowichan Sportsplex. Their gift to the new hospital is a continuation of that legacy.
“This is our community,” says Pieter. “We all have a role to play in making it stronger—for ourselves, our families, and future generations.”
The Cowichan District Hospital Foundation is deeply grateful to Dawn and Pieter for their leadership and vision. To learn more about how your donation—of any amount—can be matched and make a lasting impact, contact Naomi Low, CEO, at nlow@cdhfoundation.ca.
Family Honours Grandparents with Legacy Gift to Cowichan District Hospital Foundation
A lifetime of service, sacrifice, and love is being honoured in the Cowichan Valley through a gift that will impact generations to come.
The grandchildren of Awtar Singh and Nasib Kaur Dale have made a generous $50K donation in their memory to the new hospital being built in Duncan. The Dhanoa family contribution will see a private room in the new maternity ward dedicated in honour of Awtar and Nasib Dale, creating a lasting legacy for families in the region.
Arriving from Punjab, India, in the mid-1950s, Awtar and Nasib settled in the Cowichan Valley and became integral members of the local Sikh community. “My maternal grandparents had a profound impact on the community,” said Kam Dhanoa, one of their grandchildren. “They were instrumental in raising not just us, their grandchildren, but were deeply involved in the local Sikh community. Their level of sacrifice and commitment set a foundation for the generations that followed.”
There is an ancient proverb that states “A society grows great when old men plant trees whose shade they know they shall never sit in.” Awtar and Nasib Dale’s early work and sacrifices in the local community helped establish a firm foundation that many generations benefit from directly today.
The Dhanoa family’s donation to the maternity ward was intentional. “We thought strategically about this gift,” Kam said. “A lot of families will pass through the maternity area, so having a room dedicated to our grandparents there keeps their legacy alive for decades, inspiring new generations of families.”
Kam shared deeply personal reflections on his grandmother, Nasib Dale: “Unfettered love – that’s the word I would use. She put everyone else ahead of her own needs. Her altruism and dedication were extraordinary, and it shaped all of us. Even in her nineties, she stayed connected, calling daily to family, nurturing relationships. She was the glue that held us together.”
The Dhanoa family credits their grandparents’ sacrifices for their own opportunities. “The ability to contribute back to the community is rooted in the sacrifices they made as early settlers,” Kam said. “They came here, not knowing the language or the society, and built a foundation for future generations. Their legacy isn’t just about hard work; it’s about love, community, and care for others.”
Through this donation, the Dhanoa grandchildren honour their grandparents’ lifelong commitment to family and community while supporting a facility that will care for countless families in the Cowichan Valley for years to come.
Thank you Dhanoa family, your tribute to your grandparents is beautiful, and your gift to our community is valuable.
Fundraising for a Healthy Future
For years, our community has dreamed of a new hospital to replace the aging Cowichan District Hospital. Thanks to the generosity and vision of people like the Dhanoa family, and hundreds of other donors in our community, that dream is becoming a reality. The walls are up, the finishing work is underway, and when the doors open in 2027, this state-of-the-art facility will transform healthcare in our region for generations to come. If you would like more information about naming opportunities at our new hospital please contact our CEO, Naomi Low, nlow@cdhfoundation.ca
If you’d like to make a donation to Cowichan District Hospital Foundation please donate online, or contact our office; 250.701.0399
Donations come in all sizes, and are made for many different reasons, we’d love to know What’s Your Reason to Give? Share your donor story with us, contact info@cdhfoundation.ca