The Board of Hub Hospice Palliative Care is feeling a LOT of gratitude!
You, the people of North Lanark, including Mississippi Mills, Carleton Place, and beyond, have shown your unwavering support of the work we do to help people who have been diagnosed with a life-limiting or terminal diagnosis. And we thank you!
Our annual Tree Sale raised over $6,000 and will help beautify our community as well! There is a gentleman in Almonte who has purchased a tree (or two) every year since we’ve started. And word gets out—one gentleman travelled 986 kilometre round-trip from Dundas, Ontario to Almonte to purchase five Comfort Maple trees. This yearly event wouldn’t be as successful without the willing help of Ed Lawrence, Ron Ayling and Alan Goddard, to name just a few.
Hike for Hospice, which is part of a national initiative, attracted the highest number of participants in its seventh year. In spite of a grim forecast, the weather was perfect for walking the beautiful trails at the Mill of Kintail. Many brought along their children, or strolled with their furry friends trotting along beside them. The barbeque and petting zoo were greatly enjoyed by the hikers. In conjunction with the Hike there was an auction held through FaceBook. Thanks to Puppets Up!, the Belles of the Balls Knitting Group and Marie-France Bonenfant-Kusters, we had a unique variety of items to suit every taste! All our numbers are not in yet, but we will add about $10,000 to our coffers.
New this year was our rain barrel sale. We were delighted with the response to this sale—we sold over 200 barrels and a good number of additional items. We were pleased to be able to offer these handy items at a very good cost, and the response showed us that this was something people wanted. Early calculations indicate approximately $3,000 was raised with this effort.
Very exciting over the last year was the number of people who contacted our organization with offers to undertake events to raise money for us! With help and guidance from Pattie Dolan, artist Ruby Ewen donated 50% of all sales following her art sale in Almonte. Laurette Lafleur, another local artist, offered a portion of sales from her art sale in Carleton Place. Almonte’s Surya Daya Yoga & Wellness donated the proceeds of a special yoga class, and Dai Bassett entertained listeners at the Community Presbyterian Church in support of HHPC. Judy Joannou Designs is running a silent auction in her shop until August 4, with all proceeds coming to HHPC. And one of our new board members, Phyllis Moore, sold handcrafted birdhouses and suet feeders created by a friend, and banana gumdrop bread for HHPC. Together these wonderful folks have raised well over $5,000 so far!
How does all of this work? It is all volunteer-driven. So many people take time out of their busy lives to help with all of these events. From the volunteer who puts up posters to let the public know what’s happening and the media who publish our press releases, to Mississippi Mills allowing us to use the municipal garage to distribute the trees and barrels to the buyers, to the ham operators who provided communications at the Hike, to the many people who help keep things running smoothly at all the events…it is all greatly appreciated.
The funds are making a difference: Our visiting volunteers made 650 home visits totalling over 1,300 hours in the past year. To better support our elders living in long-term care homes in our community, we have introduced two designated visiting teams, one at Fairview Manor and one at Country Haven. In just three and a half months, these volunteers have logged over 143 visits. We’ve also been able to expand our programs that support those who are grieving and to provide public education.
The Board of HHPC—and the clients we help—are grateful beyond measure.
About Hub Hospice Palliative Care
Hub Hospice Palliative Care (HHPC) is a not-for-profit registered Canadian charity funded 100% through donations and targeted fundraising initiatives. We are a “Hospice without walls.” We provide compassionate in-home support for adult clients and their families who have received a life threatening or terminal diagnosis. Services are provided in the North Lanark area by a trained volunteer, in a confidential, respectful and client-centered manner under the supervision of a registered nurse. Visit www.hubhospice.com for information or to request the support of a visiting volunteer.
