Laurier Woods, nestled close to North Bay’s downtown, is a popular hiking area.`
On Sunday, hundreds took to the recreational trails for the 4th annual Hike for Hospice, a fundraiser for Nipissing Serenity Hospice, which is currently under construction at its site off John Street.
Shawn Klose joined the hike as his way of supporting the project.
“It is a key piece of our community that has been missing for years, and I think now that they’ve broken ground, now that we see it developing, it’s a big step for North Bay to move towards, having that final care component if you will,” said Klose.
“We have our core staff that take part in the event, but we have friends from down in the Kitchener-Waterloo area up this weekend hiking with us. As far as donations, we collect from clients, friends and family for the event.”
Erin Kapitanchuk rounded up some of her friends to help raise funds and awareness.
”It is a very important cause for North Bay. It affects a lot of people.”
Joining her on the hike was her friend Noella Anthony.
“It is an amazing opportunity to raise awareness and bring the community together for an important cause that affects pretty much every family in this community at some point or other throughout their lifetime,” said Anthony.
“When you look around it’s a very good mix of our community where you see the very young, as young as babies, to older folks who may be a little bit sooner for the hospice than maybe others, but at the same time it is an important event. We were very excited as a group of friends to support it.”
Anthony is already planning for next year’s hike.
“I think next year we should get t-shirts and maybe glam ourselves up a little bit. I think that might bring even more awareness. The more people that are out there showing off the support of their community hospice and their team, is a positive thing.”
Hikers commented on the positive energy and the feeling of excitement at the hike, as the October opening draws nearer.
“Things are progressing very well. Construction is on time and under budget. So, this is wonderful news,” said board chair Mathilde Gravelle Bazinet who shared some of what the hospice will have to offer.
“We will have respite care so that’s for patients that are not necessarily at the end of their life, but that their caregivers need to have a break. We also have a bed for terminally ill children, because unfortunately, there are children that do not survive illnesses.”
The paediatric palliative care room is named in honour of Dr. Murray Pace and his grandson Alex.
As an obstetrician, Pace delivered thousands of babies and cared for countless young patients during his life.
“We’ve had a wonderful contribution from Al and Kristin Pace through the Pace Family Foundation to pay for the paediatric terminally ill room. It is in honour of Dr. Pace and his grandson Alex who passed away when he was 11 years old from a cancer. So, the room is going to be named the “Alex and Murray Pace room,” said Gravelle Bazinet.
There is no cost to anyone who uses the hospice.
“It is free of charge. I don’t know where people got the idea there would be a charge. There isn’t. There is no charge to the family,” explained Gravelle Bazinet.
Money from the walk and other fundraising initiatives will help to defray construction costs.
“We’re still looking to raise about $600,000. So, it can be in actual donations or it can be pledges over several years. We also need to be raising money for the operational shortfall, because the ministry of health will only contribute 66 per cent of the operational costs. So, we need to raise the additional 34 per cent every year,” said the Hospice chair.
One fundraiser that will soon be wrapping up is the Buy a Stud campaign from “Studdly” the construction mascot.
“For $100 we have studs that you can fill out you own special message and it gets stapled into the walls of the hospice and they’re there forever,” explained fundraising coordinator, Holly Cangiano.
“You can go on to buyastud.com and you can buy right online. You write your message out and I fill your little tag out for you and put it on. Otherwise you can get in touch with us through the Nipissing Serenity Hospice website. We have a phone number and contact information there. Also, there’s lots of businesses that want to buy studs, so just contact us and I’ll come down and see you.”
There are just a few weeks left to purchase a stud.
Organizers are still tallying up the total from this year’s hike.
