A Legacy of Care: The Martin Family’s Ongoing Commitment to Local Healthcare
As published in Bancroft This Week
In Bancroft, few names are as deeply rooted in the community as the Martin family. Known for their long-standing contributions to the local lumber and hospitality industry, their true legacy may best be seen in their unwavering commitment to healthcare and community service.
Whitney and Nellie Martin built a life in Bancroft, raising their four children while making philanthropy and service central to their values. Nellie, a Registered Nurse who graduated from hospitals in Toronto and New York City became a familiar and comforting presence in the area. Her dedication to volunteering at the Red Cross hospital and local blood donor clinics made her a household name.
The Martins' generosity was felt early on—Whitney and Nellie were key philanthropists who helped make the construction of early Bancroft’s Red Cross hospital a reality. Years later, when the new hospital was built, their children continued that legacy with a significant donation in their parents' memory, along with 4 other lumber families, in sponsoring individual hospital rooms.
Today, that spirit of giving lives on through their son, Barry Martin, a steadfast supporter of the hospital and a strong advocate for local healthcare. “Giving back is part of my civic duty,” Barry says. “It’s how I honour the example my parents set and do my part for the community that shaped me.”
Barry’s commitment is shared by the next generation. His daughter, Shelley, echoes the family’s belief in the importance of community involvement: “It’s vital for local residents to have a say in their own healthcare. Supporting our hospital’s equipment needs helps ensure people can make good choices for their health, right here at home.” Her brother, Curtis, adds simply, “Giving to the hospital is a family tradition.” The pride Shelley and Curtis feel in their parents’ ongoing legacy is unmistakable. And that legacy recently deepened with a powerful tribute. In loving memory of his late wife Marie, Barry donated a brand-new ultrasound machine for the Emergency Department. The machine plays a critical role in diagnosing a wide range of urgent medical conditions and is already making a difference in patient care every day. This compliments his substantial donation to the CT Scanner project, a fluid warming unit for the CT Scanner, and a stretcher for the emergency department.
Barry is quick to emphasize that giving comes in many forms. “It’s important to give back at any level—it’s all needed, and it’s all important,” he says. “I’m proud to be able to play my part in the health of our community.”
Thanks to the Martin family’s continued dedication, generations of Bancroft residents will benefit from stronger, more responsive healthcare—close to home, and built on a legacy of compassion.
Barry, Shelley, Curtis Martin and Kim Bishop, Chair of the Fund Dev. Committee pictured with the new ultrasound machine that has been purchased for the Emergency Dept. of the North Hastings Hospital.
