Cathy Dobson/The Independent

The Clark family of Petrolia has donated nearly a quarter of a million dollars to three local groups they call the driving forces of their community.

Together, two Clark family funds administered by the Sarnia Community Foundation are supporting the “Reaching New Heights” capital campaign at Victoria Playhouse Petrolia (VPP), the Bluewater Health Foundation’s fund to expand and upgrade the ER at Charlotte Eleanor Englehart Hospital (CEEH), and The Petrolia Discovery, which will use the money to renovate the building that houses the refurbished Fitzgerald Rig. 

Ron Clark, his brother Doug, and their families were recognized Monday for donating a total of $241,561.01 to the three organizations.

Their donations reflect vision and generosity, said Mike Barron, executive director at the Sarnia Community Foundation (SCF), speaking at a gathering at Victoria Playhouse. 

Petrolia is so fortunate to have philanthropic families like the Clarks, said Mayor Brad Loosley.

The Clark’s combined donation of $100,000 to the CEEH emergency department fund pushes the $5 million capital campaign close to the half-way mark, said the Bluewater Health Foundation’s Kathy Alexander.  And the campaign hasn’t even launched yet. 

“I think the town of Petrolia has been waiting a very long time for a new ER and this (donation) is a huge factor to move the project ahead,” she said, adding that the contract has gone to tender and work is expected to begin this year.

“I was born in the Petrolia hospital,” said Ron Clark who founded Ron Clark Motors, a Ford dealership in nearby Wyoming, in 1966.

“The Petrolia hospital is very important to our community and serves a large area of Lambton,” he said.  “If people had to go to Sarnia, there would be (hardship).”

The family also donated $41,561.01 to The Petrolia Discovery Foundation. Doug Clark has dedicated years as a board member and volunteer at the historic oil field and helped bring it “back from the brink” when it fell on hard times about a decade ago.

“Doug and Neil Armstrong pulled a group of volunteers together and rebuilt it,” said his wife Bonnie Clark.  Doug continues to volunteer there and several of Ron’s  great grandchildren visited there just last week.

“This money is wonderful and totally unexpected,” said The Discovery’s co-chair Liz Welsh. “I cried when I heard about it.  This family’s confidence in us is heartwarming.”

Laurissa Ellsworth, the VPP’s director of marketing, arts and communications, said the Clark family regularly attends the theatre.  

Their $100,000 donation will help construct two new elevators and nine new washrooms, she said. “It will be nice for them to see the work that they have supported when they come here.”

“We are very big supporters of VPP,” said Bonnie Clark.  “We come to every single show.”

The Clarks, who have lived in the Petrolia area for seven generations, set up two funds with the SCF to facilitate the families’ philanthropy and make it easier to administer, said Ron’s son Todd Clark. “We have deep roots in Central Lambton and that’s all the more reason to give back.”